


Lovely Balcony

by whimsigyu



Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, First Love, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2019-01-09 14:37:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 100,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12278574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whimsigyu/pseuds/whimsigyu
Summary: Kim Sunggyu doesn't claim to be different (but being raised with six girls, he's bound to be a bit different). He's a normal teenager getting through his last year of high school without experiencing the wonders of love.That spring, the Kim family gets new neighbors that are the epitome of school girl's crushes. During that summer, Sunggyu will experience all the drama love brings.





	1. The Kim's

“Sunggyu, please? You’re not busy right?”

Kim Sunggyu; the fourth child of the Kim family and the only boy out of all seven children. He was seventeen and in his last year of high school. He was a tall brunet, with a medium build.

“I’m not but—,” the excuse he was about to give was refuted.

“You don’t want me to fail right? I have my mid-term tomorrow! Please! I just need to practice a little!”

Sunggyu groaned, making a face as he realized he didn't actually have a choice. His head lolled back in defeat.

“Okay,” he said, dragging out the word as if it would make him feel better.

It didn’t.

His sister squealed in delight, “Thank you so much Gyu!”

“He said yes?” a head popped from around the corner of the hallway at the top of the stairs to peek into the room that was at the end of the hall.

“Yeah!”

“Choon! Why don’t you do it instead?” Sunggyu yelled in annoyance at the sudden appearance of his younger sister.

Kim Choonyei; the sixth child of the Kim family and the fifth girl. She was thirteen and very much into video games, sports, and whatever her brother, Sunggyu, happened to be into at the time. Her hair was black and settled nicely between her shoulder blades. She rarely left it down.

“No way! Me plus make-up equals hell no!” she yelled in return.

“Choon! Watch your mouth!” the sister that was currently in his room yelled, making the girl flinch before running away down the stairs.

“Haneul, why is it always me?” he asked with a pout.

Kim Haneul; the third child of the Kim family and the third daughter. She was nineteen and studying cosmetology. Her hair was cut in a long and edgy style (as she called it herself) and was dyed a chestnut brown. She was shorter than her only brother. Sunggyu always tended to be her live mannequin.

“You should be grateful! All these things I apply on you make your skin look really nice and soft! Everyone loves that! Look at you, you don’t have a single blemish thanks to your sister,” she said proudly as she took hold of his chin and tilted his head, trying to emphasize her point.

He swatted her hand away, “Face creams and mud masks are fine. I’m not okay with actually wearing make-up.”

“But you look really good! Almost like Aecha, but with smaller eyes.”

“It’s not fair that you guys got the better portion of that,” Sunggyu complained.

Haneul simply laughed as she disappeared into her room (which she shared with another sister) that was a little way down the hall. Haneul was studying cosmetology and was in a constant need of subjects to practice on. Sadly, Sunggyu was the only one that was sympathetic and free enough to be her live mannequin. Choonyei was only thirteen so she didn’t need any of the treatments and was nowhere near patient enough to sit through it. Not to mention that she’d rather be outside or playing a video game.

“What are you doing here?” The male asked as another of his sisters walked into his room, “Haneul said you were gonna go out.”

“Haneul said that? I wonder why she never wants to use me as a guinea pig.”

“Because Gyu looks a lot better in make-up than you, Yeunja,” Haneul stated as she walked past her.

Kim Yeunja; the fifth child of the Kim family and the fourth daughter. She was sixteen years old and a junior in high school. Her hair also donned an edgy style but it was longer than Haneul’s. Unlike most of her siblings, she didn’t dye her hair so hers was black. She was slightly shorter than Sunggyu.

Haneul tried to dodge the smack that Yeunja threw but it was to no avail. Her hand landed heavy on her butt, making her yelp in slight pain. She only turned and gave her a glare before placing the box, in which she stored all of her supplies, on the male’s bed.

“You know, having 3 other sisters in the same house, why must it be the _only_ brother that has to go through this? You like to torture me, don’t you?” he asked.

Haneul offered him a smile that only made Sunggyu sigh in annoyance.

“Is your older sister coming today?” Sunggyu asked.

“I don’t know. Probably not.”

Sunggyu sighed, resigning to the fact that he won’t be getting out of it, “Do your worst.”

“I’ll make you look gorgeous, just you wait.”

 

 

“Guys! Hey guys, we finally got new neighbors!” Choonyei yelled excitedly as she ran inside Sunggyu’s room.

“What? Really?” Yeunja asked, standing almost immediately.

She was sitting in the room watching Haneul work her magic as she secretly stole the techniques from her. Her attention quickly diverted from it as she heard the news. She made her way toward the balcony doors, pulling them open. Haneul followed curiously behind.

“Do they have any kids?” the older girl asked as she searched around the area of the house next door.

“Hey that guy is handsome! I gotta go greet the neighbors!”

Haneul laughed at Yeunja’s eagerness, “Oh God, there’s two of them… and the other is hot too!”

Sunggyu rolled his eyes, letting his sisters gossip and fawn over the new guys as he studied the work his sister started. She applied some BB cream to serve as the base, then applied the eyeliner neatly, thin towards the inner eye and slightly thicker towards the end. She fanned the eyeliner out with a cotton-tip. It made his small eyes look bigger. He liked the effect a lot.

“Looking good, Gyu,” Choonyei remarked as she admired him from behind his chair.

Sunggyu gave her a dry look that made her laugh, “I’m serious! You look really good! You could be Aecha’s twin!”

Sunggyu could only sigh but he agreed. He could hardly recognize himself. It was almost like his oldest sister was staring right back at him, “Choonyei, why do I have to suffer like this?”

The girl giggled, “You look good, don’t worry too much.”

He continued to examine his reflection as his sister’s gossip got loud enough for him to hear.

“Oh, he has a motorcycle!” Haneul exclaimed.

“Hey! I’m taking the make-up off,” Sunggyu called out and was pleased to have her finally turn around.

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry,” she turned to give the guys one last glance before returning to her brother.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure one of them is bound to notice any one of you,” Sunggyu tried to re-assure as he sat back to let Haneul continue her work.

“They sure will. Me,” Yeunja said with a cheeky smile, “I’ll see you two later. I’ve got something I need to go do.”

She received glares from both Haneul and Sunggyu. Haneul wanted to go out and scout the guys too. Sunggyu just couldn’t believe how shameless his sister was.

“Don’t worry guys, I’ll leave one for you two,” she said as she quickly scurried out, very narrowly avoiding the brush her sister threw at her.

 

 

It was a matter of minutes before Haneul finished applying the finishing touches. She stepped back to examine her work thoroughly. The brunet stared at his reflection for a second before leaning forward and examining everything. He wasn’t wearing dramatic colors. She tried to go for a natural look, using nude and neutral shades for eyeshadow and a light pinky lip tint for his full lips. His fingers gently brushed the area around his eyes. He had a slight complex because his sisters always teased him about his small eyes, so seeing them appear much bigger surprised him.

It was a little longer before Haneul prepared his hair to be covered by a wig. It was long and wavy, the color matching Sunggyu’s brunet hair. Sunggyu merely groaned when he saw her walk in with the other materials. She applied make-up on him once before and also practiced placing wigs properly on him, but she had never done both at the same time. He tried to protest but when his older sister reiterated that it was for her midterm, he merely sighed and agreed half-heartedly.

The things he did for his sisters.

It felt like it took an eternity until she finished fixing the bangs and perfecting the wavy locks. Sunggyu was about ready to start complaining and whining (his butt fell asleep and he wasn’t able to feel it for a while now) when they heard Yeunja’s voice come from outside.

“ _Hannie_!”

“What does this girl want now?” Haneul muttered to herself as she set the brush down and made her way outside.

“Why can’t you come upstairs you lazy-,” she stopped before she could finish the sentence, freezing in place for a second before a laugh, an estranged one to Sunggyu’s ears, escaped her, “Hi…”

Sunggyu inched closer to his balcony, trying to get a view of what was going on but he couldn’t really see anything. He pouted lightly as he heard someone (a male) yell, _you’re cute_. Another weird laugh escaped Haneul and he couldn’t just stand there anymore. The laugh was so fake, it gave Sunggyu goosebumps just hearing it.

He poked his head out and looked over his sister’s shoulder, immediately catching sight of what made his sister act so oddly. Yeunja was down there with some guy he’d never seen before. _The new neighbor,perhaps?_ He raised his brow, unimpressed at his sibling’s reactions. Really, how old were they? He watched as the other guy turned to them before a handsome smile stretched his lips. _Whoa._ He waved at them.

“Hey cutie!” he heard.

Cutie?

Cutie!?

“Oh shit,” Sunggyu panicked, before retreating back into his room and covering his face with his hands.

Someone just saw him all dolled up and called him a cutie. Someone saw him as a _girl_! And hit on him right off the bat! Was it supposed to boost his ego or embarrass him beyond belief? He didn’t even know what to feel at that moment aside from embarrassment so it had to be the latter.

Haneul followed after him and promptly burst into laughter, “I told you I’d make you gorgeous!”

 

 

“Shy sister you got there,” the guy said as he lowered his arm.

He watched as the two girls disappeared into the house again.

“Uh, yeah,” Yeunja answered, unsure if she should give her brother away or not. She wasn’t sure what kind of impression they’d be giving if she went with the truth.

“What’s her name? She’s cute,” for some unknown reason, a smile took residence on her lips.

“Ah… her name is Aecha! She’s my older sis,” she answered as naturally as she could.

Well, he did look like Aecha so there was no way the guy would know the difference. He only caught a glimpse of Sunggyu and it was pretty far anyway.

“How old is she?”

“17,” she answered without hesitation but mentally slapped her forehead as she realized what she said, “I mean 22! S-she’s 22…”

He looked at Yeunja strangely but accepted the correction, “So she’s older…,” he said as he looked up at the balcony again.

“Yeah… so um, whenever you guys are done organizing stuff, you should come over and meet everyone! I have a brother that’s a year older than me. I think you guys would get along just fine.”

 

 

They were all in Sunggyu’s room later that night, Haneul and Yeunja were sitting on his bed while Sunggyu and Choonyei were playing some kind of shooter game. The two girls were busy talking about the new neighbors, Yeunja giving her the information that she acquired with their first meeting. He wasn’t really paying much attention to the conversation the two were having. He was too busy trying to capture a flag in the game.

“Ya! Stop camping!” Choonyei yelled suddenly.

“Stop yelling at the TV,” Sunggyu stated flatly as he tried to shoot down a couple of guys.

“I was talking to you!”

“What?!” he asked, completely offended, “I do _not_ camp! You’re just mad I keep killing you! It’s not my fault you’re not that good at this game yet!”

“Ahh!” Choonyei yelled in frustration as the last ten seconds of the game came to an end with the words in red spelling LOSER in all capitals on her half of the screen, “I hate this game.”

Sunggyu could only laugh as he went into his messages on the game console to reply. He recently started talking to a friend he lost contact with about two years ago. He only heard of him through his friend Jinki, since they were cousins.

“Can you believe he liked Sunggyu?? He was asking about all kinds of details but I made it clear that he was married.”

“You did what?!” Sunggyu asked as he heard Yeunja say that.

That made both of the girls that were gossiping laugh.

“I thought you weren’t listening,” Haneul said after giggling at his expression and calming down.

“I wasn’t! But how the hell was I _not_ supposed to hear that?” he accused.

“Sunggyu the game is starting!” Choonyei called as she pulled on his plain white tee.

“Quit the game,” he said before crawling his way to his bed. He was sitting on the floor.

“What did you tell him?”

“Why does it matter?” she asked.

“Because you’re spreading lies about me!”

“Well what did you want me to tell him? ‘Oh, that girl you saw is not really a girl, but my brother in drag’…? I lied and told him you were Aecha. You two look alike anyway!”

That seemed to ease Sunggyu’s mind a bit. If she said that, then that meant she told him Aecha was married, not Sunggyu. That was true. The oldest married right after college.

“Anyway, his name is Woohyun and his brother’s name is Myungsoo. They’re gonna be attending our school. Woohyun’s a junior and Myungsoo is a sophomore,” Yeunja continued to relay.

But Sunggyu’s attention already strayed, returning to the game instead and replying to another message. He was glad Yeunja covered for him. It would be embarrassing to face the guy afterward. They were neighbors now after all, and the last thing he wanted was for the new guy to spread questionable rumors about him at school.

 

 

When Sunggyu officially met this Woohyun guy, it was after school the following Friday. The popularity of the new guys skyrocketed in no time. Sunggyu didn’t question why. It was actually pretty obvious. The brothers were handsome and they rode motorcycles to school. They had the girls swooning.

He was popular among the girls because he was always very polite and could hold conversations with them about almost anything. He was charming, gentle, considerate, and pleasant (even if he thought of himself otherwise). He guessed it was because he grew up with nothing but girls so he knew how to mingle with them fairly well.

It was a lot harder to mingle with guys. They were the complete opposite. He was never exposed to the things the other guys found as entertaining. It was even more uncomfortable when they started checking girls out. Not only was he not into girls in general, he was just not used to it. He only had male acquaintances. It wasn’t that he didn’t have any guys that were actually his friends. He did, but they were very few.

Yeunja introduced them that afternoon, “This is my older brother, Mr. Kim Sunggyu,” her brother threw a side glare at her, “the one I was telling you about the other day.”

Woohyun dismounted the bike and bowed politely, “I’m Nam Woohyun, your new neighbor.” Sunggyu returned the gesture, completely surprised by it. Myungsoo joined them and did the same. Looking at them so up close, he couldn’t deny how handsome the pair of brothers were. Woohyun had a kind look in his eye and a disarming smile. They both looked like pretty nice guys.

“Do you mind if I just call you Sunggyu?” Woohyun asked jokingly.

“Please do,” he pleaded.

“May I call you that?” It was Myungsoo who was asking now.

“Of course!” The kid looked cute despite the fact that he was taller than both he and Woohyun.

“Are you guys heading home?” the oldest brother asked.

“Yeah,” Yeunja and Sunggyu answered simultaneously.

A small smirk made itself known on the handsome face, “Want a ride?” he pointed with his thumb over to his bike.

Sunggyu’s small eyes widened and he almost hit Yeunja for reacting so quickly to the offer, “Oh my God, that would be awesome! Right, Gyu?” she asked but giggled when she saw the expression on his face.

The color drained from his face. It was so funny. He looked so conflicted. It amused Woohyun as well.

“It’s alright, we both have a license,” he tried to reassure the older brunet.

But it was spoken to deaf ears.


	2. A Typical Friday

“Sunggyu!” Yeunja pushed the other forward and that snapped him out of it.

He unknowingly began to build all kind of scenarios of what could go wrong if he said yes. Not a single one of them were looking like he’d even make it home alive. He cleared his throat, suddenly aware that he was being stared at.

“Actually, I promised to walk home with a friend so… m-maybe next time?” he tried tentatively. He was really hoping there was never a next time.

“With who, Gyu?” Yeunja asked, curious.

He didn’t mention that earlier and she had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t true, until she heard someone call out for her brother.

“Sunggyu!”

The brunet didn’t even get a chance to turn as he felt someone jump on his back. The intruder let out a little laugh as the brunet straightened up to get the male off him.

Sunggyu laughed as he shrugged and pushed the other away, “How many times have I told you not to do that?” he said with a slight smile.

“But it’s fun!” the new comer laughed before turning his attention to the younger guy, “Hey, what’s up man.”

Woohyun gave a quick nod of acknowledgment before clasping the offered hand and giving him a few pats on the back.

“You guys know each other?” Sunggyu asked, startled by the greeting.

“Yeah, we have Art together, right Woo?”

_Woo…?_ He was already speaking to his best friend so casually? The guy sure moved fast.

“Yeah. Hi Yeunja! Hey Myung.”

The girl waved at him happily while Myungsoo only gave him a quick nod of acknowledgment.

“You have a class with him, too?”

“Nah, all three of us have lunch together,” he explained easily, “So what’s going on?” he asked.

“They were gonna give us a ride home, right Sunggyu?” Yeunja asked.

“Uh…right…”

“So you’re not walking home with me?” Dongwoo asked, a little accusingly.

Woohyun laughed, “He turned us down to walk with you.”

“Oh, really?” he asked, surprised.

“Yes, really,” Sunggyu said as he nudged him with his elbow, “Who do you take me for?”

“…”

“See you guys later,” Sunggyu said as he started walking away with a huff.

Dongwoo laughed, “I’m sorry, I was just kidding!” he yelled before turning to the others, “Bye guys! Sunggyu! Wait for me!”

They returned the farewell before watching as the lively teen reached Sunggyu.

“I thought your brother was lying,” Woohyun said as he turned to Yeunja before mounting the bike, “He didn’t look like he liked the idea though,” he laughed afterwards.

“I thought so, too…,” she said, smiling at the guy before the roar of the engines startled her.

Myungsoo turned to her and handed her his helmet, “Wear this.”

“Don’t you have an extra one?” she asked as she took it.

“We do, but they’re at home and we’re not going very far anyway,” he explained before instructing her where to place her feet and telling her to hold on tight.

Woohyun watched them carefully and once he was sure she was secure enough, he revved his bike a bit before changing the gear and moving forward.

Sunggyu watched worriedly as they sped past them, hoping nothing bad would happen to Yeunja before returning his attention to Dongwoo. The brown haired male (lighter than his hair color) watched after them for a second until he saw them turn a corner before deciding to speak up his mind.

“I didn’t know you guys were _that_ close,” his friend stated.

“What do you mean by ‘ _that_ close’?” Sunggyu asked, raising a brow.

He said it with a slight emphasis that he didn’t particularly like.

“You know, close enough to get them to offer you rides,” he clarified.

“We’re not. I just met them today,” Sunggyu defended.

“Then they must really like Yeunja if they were giving you both rides.”

Sunggyu sighed, “They’re our new neighbors, that’s why they offered.”

“Oh,” Dongwoo dragged out, relaxing at the information, “That makes sense now.”

He considered Yeunja as a younger sister so he couldn’t help but to feel protective over her as Sunggyu would. He didn’t like how close they appeared to be when they’ve only been attending the school for a week. Sunggyu noticed it and smiled. They were like lost brothers. They understood each other more than anyone else ever could.

There was a moment of silence as they kept walking before Dongwoo spoke again, “They’re really handsome.”

”…That they are. They’ve even got Haneul acting stupid.”

Dongwoo couldn’t help the giggle, “What about you?”

Sunggyu groaned in annoyance, “I just knew you were gonna say something like that.”

Dongwoo laughed again, “Your sis has good taste at least.”

“She’s a cradle robber! Woohyun is a year younger than us and Myungsoo is a year younger than him!” Sunggyu exclaimed quietly, not wanting to draw attention to their conversation.

“Some people like them younger, others like ‘em older, what’s the deal?”

“…You’re right. We should invite them over to your place. From what I understand, they both seem to like older girls.”

“That’s not funny,” Dongwoo stated.

Dongwoo had two older sisters, Jinju and Kkotip. Jinju was a year older than they were and the other was Haneul’s age. He was also the only guy in the family (it was that particular situation that drew them close) and he was the youngest. As fate would have it, they met because of Haneul and Kkotip, who were friends during their middle and high school years as well.

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Perhaps they were both a bit overprotective over their sisters.

 

 

“Oh my God, Gyu! That was really amazing! You don’t know what you missed!” Yeunja exclaimed later on in the day after they were all gathered in the living room.

The family usually set aside Friday nights to hang out. Mrs. Kim and Mr. Kim allowed the children to choose what they wanted to do. They’d usually pick a movie, play board or video games or go out to eat.

Haneul was pouting. Yeunja got home and would not shut up about how she rode Myungsoo’s motorcycle with him on it. No she was not jealous, just annoyed. Sunggyu laughed at the older sister’s expression.

“What are we doing tonight?” Choonyei asked excitedly.

Sunggyu’s phone started ringing and almost immediately the entire room started to sing along to the song, making the male laugh. The ringtone gave away the caller. It was his oldest sister, Aecha.

“Hello?” he answered as he covered one ear to try and keep the noise down despite the fact that his sisters were singing the song like their life depended on it.

“What’s going on? Sounds like you’re in trouble.”

Sunggyu laughed, “They’re singing your ringtone sis, what’s up?” he asked as he finally got up to walk into the kitchen in order to hear her better.

“Oh, really? They sound passionate back there. But anyway, I was calling to let you know that Mom and Dad aren’t making it tonight. We were invited to have dinner with the company reps,” she explained.

“Ah, well that’s okay. I’ll let the girls know.”

“Please do. I’ll talk to you later, Gyu!”

“Bye.”

The brunet stood in the kitchen for a couple of seconds, “We can probably do video games tonight since they won’t be here…,” before nodding and making his way towards the living room.

His phone rang again, this time signaling he received a text message, “Wow, I’m popular today.”

It was Jinki, a friend of his. He was an only child but the guy was smart and really polite. Sunggyu really liked him.

_Hey my cousin is coming to visit soon. he says he really wants to meet up with you when he gets here._

He started typing a response in the little pop-up window, letting the song of the message play on before singing the last lines at the top of his lungs.

“Girls, Mom and Dad aren’t maki—” Sunggyu stopped in the middle of his sentence as he noticed two new faces.

He felt his face heat up in record time before hearing the living room erupt into laughter. Woohyun and Myungsoo were standing at the threshold of the room and witnessed Sunggyu’s impromptu performance.

“Mom and Dad aren’t making it tonight,” he said finally, smacking Yeunja who was still giggling as he passed her.

“So what are we doing then?” Choonyei, the second youngest, asked.

Yeunja quickly proceeded to sit the boys on the couch as she moved to sit on the armrest next to Sunggyu.

“I don’t know…” he said, forgetting his earlier thoughts.

“Let’s play Scrabble in teams!” Yeunja exclaimed.

He turned to glare at her, almost reading her mind before counting the people present. They were off by one person.

“Jinho can be in a group of three,” she continued to explain.

Kim Jinho, the seventh child of the Kim family and the sixth girl. She was ten and she tended to admire Haneul because of all the ‘pretty’ things she did. Her hair was shoulder length and also black.

“I call Myungsoo!” Choonyei yelled suddenly, startling the occupants of the room.

After being looked at funny she turned to the boy, “That was your name right? Myungsoo?”

The younger brother nodded, “I’m Choonyei! Come sit over here!”

Myungsoo smiled, thinking the teen was rather cute before following her instructions as she went to go pull out the board game.

“I pick—”

“I’ll get Woohyun!”

It was Yeunja’s turn to glare at her brother. He had to have known that she wanted to pair up with one of the boys. Why was he being like that?

“But—”

“It’s okay, right?” the brunet asked the dark haired male, his eyes almost daring him to say otherwise.

It was pretty clear that Sunggyu was being protective of his sisters so Woohyun really had no place to argue. What could he say? Besides he really wanted to befriend Sunggyu. He had to appeal to the male if he ever wanted to date his sisters. Wasn’t that the general rule?

“It’s fine,” he agreed.

Sunggyu moved to go sit on the other end of the coffee table, closer to Woohyun. Haneul pulled the annoyed younger sister down to sit with her as well before calling Jinho over to join their team. Choonyei pulled out the board and had Myungsoo draw a tile before proceeding to go around the table.

The order was decided quickly. Sunggyu and Woohyun would be going first.

“I think there should be a punishment for the losers…,” Myungsoo spoke up.

“You’re pretty confident over there,” Woohyun said as he let Sunggyu set the tiles on the wooden rack.

“What kind of punishment?” Choonyei asked, excited.

She liked those kinds of things. Her friends always had those whenever they played a game (she usually only played with guys). Usually the worst punishment they could give each other was ttakbam. There was a moment of silence in which they thought.

“How about drinking a full glass of water?” the younger brother suggested.

Choonyei was the only one who made a face at that. That was so boring.

“Let’s do ttakbam!”

“No ttakbam,” Sunggyu said sternly, sending her a look, “You cried last time, remember?”

Her cheeks colored when she heard the distinct laughter of the two brothers and she pouted before deciding to keep her mouth shut. She was only embarrassing herself.

“How about loser sings?” That brought on more chuckles and this time Sunggyu’s cheeks were slightly dusted in pink.

Yeunja said it with the intention of getting back at her brother. She really was annoyed that he was acting so protective over them. Haneul had boyfriends before, but Sunggyu seemed to make sure she didn’t get any (although her thoughts were definitely an exaggeration). It wasn’t that the guys were falling all over her, she was pretty but she didn’t have the entire population of boys tripping over themselves to ask her out. She just seemed a little too smart and a good girl to attract the idiots. That was okay with Sunggyu, but he definitely had no hand in any of it.

“Sure, they already heard me anyway…,” Sunggyu said, trying to act cool and unaffected.

It worked but the laughter that erupted from Woohyun startled him. He turned to the male and saw him gesturing to his sisters and when he turned, he saw the look of disbelief on Yeunja’s face. It wasn’t extremely noticeable but the color drained from her face and her teasing smirk had fallen.

“Call!” Woohyun said still laughing.

Her mouth opened at hearing that, “Woohyun!”

He wasn’t making things any better and the echoing consent from Myungsoo and Choonyei only made it worse.

“Haneul!” she called as she turned to her sister who only shrugged.

“You dug your own grave.”

 

 

“So you like Nell?” Woohyun asked as the game slowly started building up.

Everyone had already taken three turns and they just finished their fourth. It went by quietly, finding themselves with not much to say after laughing so much. Sunggyu glanced up at the male next to him as he rearranged the tiles.

“Yeah.”

He nodded to himself, “I’d recognize those lines anywhere. Cliff Parade, right?”

The brunet chuckled lightly as he confirmed the answer to the question, “You know them?”

“I know my way around,” he stated.

Sunggyu wasn’t sure if he was trying to sound cool or not but he dismissed the answer with a nod.

“You have good taste,” Woohyun said with a smile as he assessed the word that Myungsoo set down on the board.

“I know.”

Woohyun couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him as well.

 

 

Sunggyu was lightly biting his thumbnail and it sounded pretty loud in the quiet room.

“Hyung, could you please stop that,” the older brother asked as he took the ‘R’ and placed it at the beginning of the remaining four tiles that they had. They unluckily acquired a Q on their last draw. The Q was worth 10 points, which would be deducted from their score if they still had it by the time someone placed their last tile on the board.

“Can’t we use IQ?” Woohyun asked secretively, taking hold of the tile.

“No!” the other nudged him to stop him.

“You’ve been staring at these for almost a minute! I don’t see any other way out of this!”

Sunggyu waved his hand away as his eyes darted from the board to the tiles.

“Gyu, you’re taking too long!” Choonyei complained.

Their team already had the perfect word to use and they had their heart set on the ‘I’ from the word TRAIN.

“Hold on…,” he said as he started to move the tiles to his liking on the rack.

He placed the ‘R’ towards the back again and placed the ‘F’ at the front followed by the ‘A’ and then the ‘Q’. He glanced up again at the board and it finally clicked. He snapped his fingers in victory as he began to set down the tiles as FAQIR.

“Is that even a word…?” Myungsoo asked as he stared at the odd word.

“Of course it is!” Sunggyu defended himself. There were plenty of times where it’d been used in previous plays, “It’s a word for some religious guy… I can’t remember,” his confidence slowly diminished, he didn’t sound so sure.

But just as everyone else was about to pull out their phones to check, Haneul quickly piped up, “He’s right. It’s a religious and virtuous Muslim.”

“Your vocabulary sucks,” Sunggyu said as he leaned back against the couch.

The room was filled with tension ever since Haneul started counting the score.

“It doesn’t! It’s not my fault that the words I used happened to mostly have all one point letters…”

“Of course not…”

“At least we weren’t last?” Woohyun stated uncertainly.

“At least.”

They avoided last place successfully and claimed first place thanks to the odd word that Sunggyu luckily remembered.


	3. Sunggyu's Troubles

That was the last he saw of them for the weekend. He wondered why the brothers randomly showed up (and at the perfect time too) that Friday but, after hearing Haneul and Yeunja talking about it in their room, he quickly understood that Yeunja invited them over when they dropped her off. She must have really taken a liking to them.

He had to admit, both brothers were handsome, dashing, and really easy on the eyes. He didn’t blame her in the slightest. It did, however, shame him to see such obvious advances made by his sister. Had she no shame? At least Haneul acted her age…mostly. She would turn into a fifteen year old whenever Yeunja told her about what Woohyun did or what Myungsoo said.

After another week, Sunggyu found out that the only time his sister saw both brothers was after school. They didn’t share a single class. It made Sunggyu wonder how in the world she knew about their whereabouts and what they talked about, at least until he heard that it wasn’t only her that was interested in what they did, but a majority of the girls in his classes as well.

 

 

“I have Woohyun for Physics. I don’t know how they expect me to concentrate on the lesson when he sits right in front of me.”

They were sitting in their English class working on an assignment. Sunggyu simply shook his head. He wondered what kind of witch craft Woohyun was using to affect the girls so much. He had the entire girl population swooning over him.

“But he tends to look out the window a lot, especially when we have problems assigned from the book. Oh my God, girls, he has the most perfect nose I’ve ever seen.”

Sunggyu couldn’t help the little stifled laugh that escaped him when he heard that. His nose? Even the nose had its own following? He even had Miss Popular Park Gyuri admiring his face extremities. He must have sprinkled some kind of pixie dust on everyone’s eyes.

“Why are you laughing, Kim Sunggyu? Have you not seen it?”

“No, not really,” he responded, glancing up at the girl sitting in front of him before returning his attention to the work on the desk.

“Well you see him every day after school, take a closer look. Those brothers look like they came out of a magazine,” the girl huffed in slight annoyance, “Your sister is really lucky she gets to ride home with them.”

Sunggyu dismissed her with a shrug. It was starting to seem like every girl wanted to become his sister. He’d hear it at least once when he stopped to talk to a group of girls. He also found himself greeting more and more girls. He figured they thought they’d get closer to Woohyun if they befriended a friend of his. He didn’t bother with it. He’d only greet them politely before moving on.

He would deny it later, if anyone asked, but he couldn’t help but to really survey Woohyun’s nose after school that same day. It was straight bridged, pointy, and just very nice looking. He noticed that his nose really was perfect. His face fell a little noticeably when he realized that.

The worst part had to be that the damned nose gained another admirer.

 

 

“Are you okay?” Dongwoo asked once they were far enough away from school.

The older male didn’t look too happy.

“Fine,” he answered as he waved goodbye to the trio on the bikes.

He inspected Woohyun’s nose from a distance and refused Dongwoo’s, “Let’s go say hi.”

“You’re rejecting us again?” Woohyun yelled after them.

He was mounted on the bike and was looking at the guys as they continued to walk. Sunggyu let another wave answer for him before clinging onto Dongwoo.

“I hate the girls at this school,” Sunggyu mumbled.

“Okay… when did hating-the-entire-girl-population-at-school start…?” Dongwoo asked uncertainly.

His friend was a little upset for a while and this sudden declaration of hatred worried him.

“Since they started gushing over noses.”

“What?” the blond male asked.

Sunggyu proceeded to explain his dilemma. Dongwoo could only laugh at his exaggerated misery. It wasn’t like such a thing was worth the attention, and it was proved as Sunggyu kept glancing up at his hair. He was positively sure that Dongwoo’s hair was a light brown yesterday, but looking at him now, it was lighter. A lot lighter. He was a little afraid to ask why he bleached it. There could be only one reason to why his hair suddenly changed color.

“Kkotip asked me to be her practice doll for dying hair…,” the short male finally stated as he noticed the wandering eyes.

“What?!” Sunggyu exclaimed.

He groaned when he realized that Haneul was more than likely to ask him to do the same sooner or later.

 

It was definitely a lot sooner than he anticipated.

Haneul clasped her hands in front of her, pleading up at her brother, her best pity-inducing pout on her rosy lips.

“You’ll let me dye it, right? Right?” she asked desperately.

“Haneul, I can’t. I have homework I need to get to today,” Sunggyu tried to reason.

“I promise it won’t take long!” she continued.

“Dongwoo already had his hair dyed today, why didn’t you even bring this up?” her only brother asked.

“Well…!” her voice dropped as she continued to speak, “because I…forgot…,” she quickly bounced back, “But you’d forget too if you got home and your sister kept distracting you!” she said as she pointed behind Sunggyu at the culprits’ house.

“Well then ask her,” he said sternly before closing the door on her nose.

“Sunggyu!” she whined behind the door as she practically glued herself to it.

“No.”

“What’s going on?” the brunet’s eyes widened in panic.

He would recognize that voice anywhere. It was his mother.

“Mom! Sunggyu won’t let me practice on him! I really need to for tomorrow’s exam!” she continued with her whiny voice.

He could picture her pouting at her mother and draping herself over her dramatically. Things were not going to end well. He could feel it.

“Sunggyu!” the knocks came soon after and Sunggyu groaned, hanging his head in defeat before answering.

“Let your sister practice on you! Her grades are at stake here!”

And that was how Sunggyu was sitting in the middle of the master restroom, sulking as his sister hummed a tune to bring the mood up. It was safe to say it wasn’t working for the male. At all.

“ _Starlight, I will be chasing the starlight, until the end of my life. I don’t know if it’s worth it anymore,_ ” she started singing, making Sunggyu raise a brow.

“How do you even know that song?”

“I practically live in your room, Sunggyu dearest,” she said teasingly as she gave a hard tug to his hair, making the other complain.

“You’re abusing me. I’m gonna call CPS,” he threatened but it only made his sister laugh.

“Stop being such a baby. I’m almost done with your coloring,” she said as she continued to apply the last of the mixture on the back of his head.

Sunggyu had no idea as to what she was doing but he only sighed. He tried to ask, on many occasions, about what color she was dying it, but Haneul kept her mouth shut on the matter or would go for the more entertaining method, she would tease him. First she said green, then pink, then gray. Sunggyu was slowly dying inside but he hoped his sister wasn’t as vengeful as she wanted to come off as. She was probably dying it a light brown.

_Please let it be light brown…_

“Okay done!” she said as she placed a bag over his hair and tied it up, “You are free to attend to your homework! I’ll go get you in a little while in order to rinse the dye off of your hair~,” she said happily as she shooed him out of the bathroom, not giving him a chance to glance at the bowl in which she mixed his color.

 

 

Sunggyu averted his gaze for the millionth time that day. It didn’t fail.

 _You’ll be turning heads, Gyu_ , his sister exclaimed happily the night before. Of course she didn’t show him the choice of color until she dried and styled it accordingly.

It wasn’t horrible, he supposed, after staring at his reflection for a good half-hour, half horrified and half fascinated. There was no way he was going to blend into the crowd. He was going to be the center of attention at their high school for a time to come, but at least the color complemented his skin really nicely.

He hated that he couldn’t entirely be mad at Haneul for that.

He looked around for his cheery friend and his jaw nearly dropped when he saw Dongwoo’s hair color. It was pink. Or was it purple…?

“Woah! Sunggyu, your hair looks awesome!” Dongwoo greeted the other as he waved him over.

Sunggyu’s lunch schedule changed, hopefully for good (his teacher had a tendency of forgetting they had lunch in the middle of the period and decided to let the kids have the first lunch in order to not worry about it later).

“Kill me now,” he stated dramatically as he took a seat next to Dongwoo and draped himself over the lunch table.

“Nice hair,” he heard a deep voice say and he lightly tilted his head to the side to take a peek.

It was Woohyun, and he seemed amused by his behavior. Sunggyu only grunted in response. Dongwoo laughed at his best friend before patting his back reassuringly.

“What the heck are our sisters thinking? And why does that color look really good on you?” Sunggyu questioned, completely stunned that such colors were actually working for their appearance.

“It’s what they’re studying! It looks good Gyu, I promise. Now let’s get some lunch.”

Sunggyu didn’t even wonder why the other wasn’t the least bit disturbed by his appearance. Dongwoo was never the kind to worry about anything but what was important to him. That included dancing, music, his friends and his family. It wasn’t that he liked drawing attention to himself either. He was simply like that. His distinct laughter would turn heads if his face hadn’t done it already. He also happened to be very affectionate.

“Was it a bad dye job or…?” Woohyun questioned as they made their way to the lunch line, staring intently at the pretty bright color on the other’s head as he walked ahead of him.

Sunggyu was using Dongwoo’s shoulder as a solid object to punish his forehead on.

Dongwoo laughed, “No, we’re technically guinea pigs for our sisters… so I’m sure this was planned.”

“She’s evil…,” Sunggyu stated as he turned to face Woohyun, “Don’t ever get on her good side, or offer to be her practice subject.”

Woohyun only laughed at the grave tone the older male was using, “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

The red head sighed before looking around, “Where’s Myungsoo-yah?”

“He’s always a little late. I didn’t know he liked that computer class so much…,” Woohyun trailed off but quickly turned his attention back to Sunggyu. The line was moving at a moderate pace. Dongwoo turned to another line, scanning the people to see if he recognized anyone. He found someone soon enough and began yelling across the cafeteria to another line across the room. They turned to see the younger Nam brother already in line. Sunggyu and Dongwoo waved to them, recognizing the people Myungsoo was with.

“Who are they?” Woohyun asked when they turned their attention back to their line.

He saw that cluster of guys around before but he didn’t really pay much attention to it. It had to be the jocks, there was no other explanation for it.

“Jerks, I mean, jocks,” Sunggyu corrected, making Dongwoo snicker.

“Oh,” he said knowingly as he turned to look at them again. He raised a brow when he saw one leaving the line. He wasn’t tall when standing next to the others but he had a strong built and a piercing gaze. He was heading in their direction. He watched as the guy leaned over the railing that guided the line and pulled on Sunggyu’s hair. A surprised yelp left the senior’s lips as he turned, a scowl firmly in place.

“Hoya, what the hell!?” he asked as he soothed the patch of skin that was aggravated.

The guy chuckled as he took a turn on pulling Dongwoo’s hair as well, albeit a bit more gently, “I was sure you guys were wearing wigs… what happened?”

“Sisters,” Dongwoo answered with a smile.

He examined their hair for a moment longer before humming, “It kind of suits you though…”

“Really?” Dongwoo asked, his face brightening at the complement.

Sunggyu could only smile at his best friend’s reaction. He thanked Hoya in his mind for actually liking the new look and not saying anything mean to him.

“Yeah, I’ll see you guys later!” he said as his goodbye before jogging over to his friends.

Sunggyu resisted the urge to say anything but there was a big smile on his face that he directed to his friend. Dongwoo returned it and said nothing more, leaving Woohyun in the dark, unbeknown to him. It was a couple of moments before they were carrying their trays back to a table and sitting down.

There was something that was bothering Sunggyu and it involved his new neighbor. He agreed with Dongwoo about the Nam brother’s liking Yeunja, enough to offer her a ride home every day after school. He knew there had to be some ulterior motives. He didn’t really believe in people giving things for free, much less when it involved a guy and a girl. There was always, always, an ulterior motive when it came to guys. He’d learned that unpleasantly (overhearing conversations in the locker room when he had p.e. back during his first two years in high school).

The way he saw it, he had one way of making sure it didn’t happen: scare him off. He decided to go with the overprotective brother role.

“So Woohyun,” Sunggyu called.

The younger male looked up from his burger with a questioning gaze, Dongwoo doing the same, “What exactly are your intentions with Yeunja.”


	4. Surprise After Surprise

The pink haired male cleared his throat and looked away, trying with all his might to keep the snicker from escaping his lips, “Uh, excuse me guys, I’ll be right back.”

“My intentions…?” he asked as he glanced at Dongwoo, hoping to catch his eyes and plead with his gaze for him to not leave him. Unfortunately for him, the happy senior didn’t even spare him a glance as he got up.

The pink haired male knew that it wasn’t his place to even butt into that conversation. Besides, he could get the juicy details from Sunggyu later. He’d admit, he wanted to see how the other squirmed under his best friend’s gaze because despite having a lack of said feature, his glares were no joke. He’d been on the receiving end before and it was not pretty.

Woohyun watched the other walk away, a little worried at being left alone. He didn’t know Sunggyu that well, so he wasn’t sure how to deal with him quite yet.

“I don’t have any. We’re just friends,” he tried when he figured there was no way of getting out of it, giving Sunggyu his best, charming smile.

“Just friends…,” Sunggyu repeated, his eyes set on the other’s features.

“Yeah…just friends… by the way hyung,” he said quickly, hoping to change the older male’s attention from the scrutinizing gaze that made his palms sweat, “How many sisters do you have? I think Yeunja mentioned that I haven’t met two…?”

The senior sighed, letting it slide for the moment. He figured he got his point across rather clearly, “I have six sisters. The oldest is Aecha and the second eldest is Eunae. Those are the ones you haven’t met.”

“I’ve seen Aecha once. She was really pretty. Is… she really married?” he asked, trying his best to sound indifferent before taking a bite of the burger.

“She is,” he answered, “ _Happily_ married,” he added, not liking the interest he was showing in his eldest sister, before taking a sip of his drink.

 _But when did he see her? She hasn’t been over in a while…_ He thought for a second until he suddenly remembered.

No, he definitely hadn’t seen his sister, Aecha, at all… it was him he had seen that night they moved in.

The drink nearly fell from his grip.

 

 

The week went by quickly and Sunggyu found himself looking forward to lunch much more than he used to.

On Tuesday he found out the junior liked to cook. After boasting that he cooked for himself and Myungsoo any dish that he wanted. Sunggyu logged that away for later.

On Wednesday he found out Woohyun was probably as much of a fan of Nell as he was. He nearly made him his best friend right then and there if it wasn’t for his actual best friend being present and hearing the sudden declaration, earning him a very painful pinch to his side. Dongwoo was a fan as well (how could he not be? Sunggyu’s influences stuck) so they all engaged in conversation concerning the band’s music.

On Thursday he traded player tags with the other. Their discussion went from movies, to shows, to games. He was happy to hear the other played games Dongwoo and he played often.

In between all of that, they discovered that the junior liked to work out and that his passion for motorcycles was genuine. Sunggyu found the last two hard to believe (he didn’t take the other’s biceps and full figure into consideration) but he confirmed both on his own as he was doing nothing but lounging around like the lazy guy he was.

 

 

It was a Saturday morning, really early, or at least early to those that had no business waking up at eight in the morning, and Sunggyu found himself staring up at his ceiling. The house was quiet except for the occasional clink of plates that traveled upstairs. His parents were probably up already. He got up slowly and ran his fingers through his hair lazily, settling it into some semblance of control. Once he figured it was alright, he headed to his balcony doors and pulled the curtains open. It was a calm and clear morning. He opened the doors and slowly stepped outside. The balcony was cool and smooth against his bare feet. He couldn’t help but stretch all the kinks from his body that accumulated during the night as he breathed in the morning air. He let out a contented sigh. He was glad his room didn’t face the sunrise. It was engulfed in shadows until the afternoon.

He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to the Nam’s backyard. He raised his brow when he noticed Woohyun and Myungsoo were already outside.

 _What are they doing…?_ He watched them silently, curiously. They seemed to be teasing each other. Woohyun kept pointing at Myungsoo’s stomach and kept trying to lift the plain white t-shirt up, but the younger boy wouldn’t let him. They continued for a minute more before they reached an agreement.

Sunggyu’s eyes widened when both guys removed their shirts. He couldn’t help the low ‘woah’ that escaped his lips when he realized what they were talking about. His face flushed and he quickly turned away. Was that what brother’s talked about? Who had the better body? He swallowed as he slowly turned his attention back to the two guys down in the backyard.

They both looked incredible. ‘Those brothers look like they came out of a magazine.’ He wasn’t sure why that suddenly flashed in his brain but he vaguely wondered if those girls had already seen them shirtless.

_“_ _Sunggyu_ _!”_

Where and when is what he wanted to know. He didn’t doubt that they’d be ogling them when they went out to play at school.

_“…_ _Sunggyu_ _…?”_

If that was the case, then he could understand why the entire girl population at school was crazy about these two. What more could a girl possibly want? Good looks, great body (even if Woohyun was a bit on the short side, at least he was taller than Dongwoo) and really nice smiles.

“Sunggyu!”

He snapped out of his thoughts as he heard his name. He quickly realized he was staring at them and looked away before trying a smile and waving at them, albeit shyly. He was embarrassed at his blatant gawking.

“Are you alright?” Woohyun asked, concerned. The red head wore a lost look on his face.

“I’m fine!” he waved at them again before hurrying back inside and throwing himself face-first onto his pillow.

What the heck was he doing?

 

 

Sunggyu was sitting at his electric piano sometime after midday. He was wearing big studio headphones so that the noise didn’t disturb anyone else. He was practicing for a presentation for his music class but quickly got distracted as he moved from the classical piece to one he was learning on his own free time. The piano had its own stand and he would simply turn the chair from his desk around and settle down there, next to the door. He was humming along to the lyrics in his head when he saw his older sister peek inside from the corner of his eye. He quickly pulled off his headphones when he saw her moving her lips.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” she repeated.

“Yeah,” he took the headphones off from around his neck and placed them on the piano. He was sitting with his back to the desk. He watched as she closed the door behind her and locked it. He raised a brow at that, wondering what it could be that needed that much privacy.

“It’s about Yeunja…,” she stated once she was seated on the male’s bed.

“What’s wrong with her?”

Haneul remained silent for a second, looking down at the carpet before finally sighing and looking up at the red haired teen, “She has bruises.”

“Okay…,” Sunggyu waited for her to elaborate.

“On her back and on her arms… both of them….”

Sunggyu was dreading where the conversation was going, “…Did she say how she got them?”

Haneul sighed again, “She says she tripped over something and fell back against the lockers… but that doesn’t explain the bruises on her arms. She has them on the inside. I don’t know how anyone can bruise there.”

“You don’t… you don’t think she’s getting bullied… do you?” Sunggyu asked, concerned.

“Maybe… but we can’t tell Mom and Dad, at least not yet. Just keep an eye on her and get your friends to keep an eye on her too. I know Dongwoo knows a lot of people.”

“Yeah, don’t worry. Thanks for telling me. I’ll keep an eye out for her,” Sunggyu gave her a reassuring smile and she sighed yet again.

“I never thought our little sister would be getting bullied…,” Haneul stated after a moment before getting up and unlocking the door.

Yeunja burst through the door the second Haneul pulled it open, “Hello! Let me just be a creep for a second,” she walked straight to the balcony doors and headed outside, not hiding the fact that she was looking for the brothers in the slightest.

“Yeunja! Come on, we’re waiting on you!” they heard their mother yell from the base of the stairs.

The younger sister huffed before turning to go back inside, “See you guys later,” she said as she rushed out of the room.

 

 

Sunggyu spent most of the early afternoon wondering about what Yeunja could possibly be getting bullied for. He discussed it with Haneul for a while, at least until Kkotip showed up to pick her up, but they came up empty handed. She wasn’t extremely popular but she was known as one of the brighter students in her year. She was never someone who looked for trouble either.

The red head gave up for the time being, deciding to head outside for a little while to get some fresh air but not before pouring himself a cold glass of lemonade his baby sister and mom made earlier. With a book under his arm and the glass in hand, he made his way outside to the front porch where they had a nice swing installed.

He quickly lost himself in the book, hardly paying any attention to his drink that slowly grew hot on the table. It wasn’t until he could no longer feel his left leg (that he was currently sitting on) that he decided to look up. He did a double take when he saw Woohyun on the driveway of his own house. He was doing something to his bike.

 _What the… does he just randomly decide to come out when I’m outside_? Sunggyu thought, slightly annoyed. He didn’t really have a reason to be annoyed but he was a bit put off by how model-esque the younger male appeared to be. He chose to ignore him for the time being and, after switching positions, continued to read. However his concentration was completely broken. He couldn’t keep himself from glancing up at the male every few moments.

Five minutes passed and after realizing he hadn’t advanced a single page he let out a frustrated sigh. He folded the corner of the page he was re-reading for a while and got up, getting ready to go inside when Woohyun called out to him.

“Sunggyu! Can you give me a hand, please?”

“Damn it…,” he muttered under his breath, before turning to face the other, “Sure…,” he tossed his book onto the swing before heading out into the sun. He noticed the oil pan settled under the motorcycle and he quickly concluded that he was giving the deathtrap an oil change.

“What’s up?” he asked once he reached the younger male.

“Well, do you think you can rock the bike a bit?”

“…What?”

“Rock the bike back and forth. I need to make sure all the oil is out of it,” Woohyun explained again.

“What? I can’t do that! What if I tip it over completely?” Sunggyu questioned, alarmed that Woohyun would allow him to do such a thing.

“You won’t, come on. I’d do it but…,” he showed him his oil covered hands, “I just washed her. I don’t want to get her dirty again.”

The red head made a light grimace before sighing, “I take no responsibility for anything that may happen to your bike, do you hear me?” Sunggyu asked as he took hold of the handles, making the younger male chuckle lightly. He debated the possibility of mounting the bike for a split second before deciding against it. He slowly moved the bike back and forth and realized it wasn’t as heavy as it looked.

“A little more, Sunggyu,” Woohyun instructed.

“Okay,” the senior said as he tilted it over to the side away from him. He went as far as he could, without losing his grip but he quickly realized it was a lot heavier when it was tilted too far off to one side.

“W-Woohyun!” he yelled in panic as he tried to pull the bike back but was only able to hold it in place.

The owner of the bike was quick on his feet, pulling the bike back to its center stand, “Oh, that was close. I didn’t think you were mean enough to do that!” Woohyun teased with a smile.

Despite his quick response, he made sure not to touch his bike and took hold of the older male’s hands on the handlebars instead, placing his greasy palms on top of the other male’s lighter ones. Sunggyu was frozen in place for a second but he quickly retracted his hands when he realized Woohyun didn’t move his from place.

“Oh, sorry. I got your hands dirty. But it was either that or me demanding you pay for damages,” the younger continued to joke before kneeling and returning his attention to the pan, “But I think that did it. Thanks a lot!” he said.

“You’re welcome,” Sunggyu responded.

He took hold of the screw and began to put it back in place, “All I need to do now is put some new one in. Say, you’ve never rode a bike before, right? What do you say you come—” he cut his sentence short when he realized he was talking to thin air.


	5. Confrontations

Sunggyu sighed for the hundredth time since the encounter with Woohyun. He was more than worried. He knew from the start that Woohyun was attractive. That was something that he couldn’t deny and could admit rather easily. That attraction was there from the beginning but he never paid it any real attention. The guy was straight and he wasn’t about to fool himself into thinking otherwise. But in the past week that he started actually talking to him and getting to know him, his attractiveness grew without his knowledge.

That beginning attraction had grown into a crush.

A _crush_.

He sighed again and Haneul let out a frustrated growl. Haneul and Yeunja made their way into his room sometime in the late afternoon and commandeered his game console. They were both convinced that guys liked girls who knew their way around all kinds of video games, especially guys like their neighbors, and were panicking at the complicated controls of the RPG. However what brought upon that growl was not the game, but Sunggyu himself. She quit the game, making Yeunja complain audibly.

“What is it?” Haneul asked her brother, ignoring Yeunja completely.

The younger sister quickly became quiet when she realized what was going on.

“Huh?” Sunggyu asked intelligently.

“You’ve been sighing since I got back, what’s up?” she asked again.

“Maybe our brother is in love?” Yeunja asked, a mischievous smile on her lips, her teasing turning up for the occasion.

That only caused the red head to sigh again and look away.

“Woah, woah, are you serious?” she asked as she climbed onto the bed.

“It’s not love… It’s just… a temporary attraction,” he said matter-of-factly.

“A crush,” Haneul stated as she leaned on the bed, her hand holding her head up.

“R-right.”

“Who is it?” Yeunja asked, not bothering to beat around the bush.

Sunggyu ran his right hand through his red hair before speaking, “You can’t say anything about it, okay? It’s not like I wanted to… it kind of snuck up on me…”

“Woohyun,” Yeunja stated.

It was not a question in the slightest. She said it with the confidence of someone who knew it all and he could only stare at her in surprise. Was he so obvious? He would admit that he was thinking of the possibility for a couple of days now but both incidents in that same day re-affirmed his conclusion.

Haneul gaped for a second, “But isn’t he—”

“Straight? Well, he certainly looks it… but you know, there hasn’t been a single day in which he doesn’t ask about _Aecha_. You know, the Sunggyu version,” Yeunja stated, wiggling her brows suggestively.

“But… don’t you like him…?” Sunggyu asked. He was surprised to see her like that. He was worried to reveal the feelings that suddenly overwhelmed him _because_ of her. Because he knew she liked the brothers.

“Let’s be real for a second Sunggyu. Woohyun has an obvious attraction to your version of Aecha. He doesn’t see me as anything other than a friend who happens to be his neighbor, whom he gives rides to on a daily basis,” she stated, “I was a lost candidate a long time ago, which kind of also happened to be around the time he laid eyes on you, our lovely sister.”

The red head rolled his eyes.

“By the way, who is this guy that keeps sending you messages?? It’s really distracting!” Yeunja asked when they turned to the television after hearing a few dings come from it.

“He’s Jinki’s cousin. I haven’t talked to him for a few years and he just suddenly started messaging me. We’ve been kind of catching up.”

“You mean that one scrawny kid that used to play with us a lot back in the day?”

“I don’t mean, Hoya,” Sunggyu clarified, making the other two girls laugh.

“No, I think I know who you mean. He really liked soccer too. What was his name?” Haneul asked, having a clear image of the kid in her mind.

“Junho.”

“Oh, I remember him!” Yeunja exclaimed, “He was really fond of you, right?”

“He liked hanging out with us, yeah.”

“Is he doing okay?” Haneul asked.

She started up the game again, and resumed her play through.

“Yeah, looks like he’s been doing really well.”

“That’s good. Now tell me what the hell am I supposed to do here because I’m stuck.”

 

 

It was Thursday already and Sunggyu was anxious. He hadn’t heard or seen anything about Yeunja’s problem. He got Hoya to help keep an eye on her and nothing peculiar came up. He wasn’t sure if he should be relieved at the fact or worried. If no one saw anything, they were probably cornering her somewhere out of the general student body’s line of sight. His only comfort for the moment was that Haneul didn’t mention anything about any new bruises.

“Are you okay, Sunggyu? You’ve been out of it all week…,” Myungsoo stated as he picked at the food on his plate.

He didn’t mention the incident to the brothers, figuring it wasn’t really their business to begin with. He let Dongwoo know last Saturday and Hoya was told Monday. They’d known each other since elementary school and he knew he could count on them to help him out whenever he needed it.

“I’m fine,” he assured the tall male.

Hoya, who was joining their lunch table all week because of the incident, and Dongwoo could only spare the older male a glance. He was just worried over his younger sister but he quickly changed the subject, asking about how Myungsoo’s classes were going. Hoya was just as worried as the two best friends. He grew up with her as well. They were all practically family. His thoughts were interrupted by his phone.

“But I can’t do English well! Give me an English song and I’ll sing it for you word for word. I may not know what I’m saying, but at least I’ll be pronouncing it right!” Myungsoo argued.

“Being able to sing it isn’t the big deal! You can fully enjoy a song if you-”

“I’d hate to interrupt your heart to heart, guys, but I think we’re needed on the second floor, outside the girls bathroom,” Hoya interrupted as he stood.

“Is it Yeunja?” Sunggyu asked.

At the athletic teen’s affirmative, he quickly shot up and didn’t check to see if anyone was following him. If Yeunja was in trouble, he wasn’t going to stand by and allow it to happen. Luckily there was only one set of bathrooms on the second floor so he knew exactly where to go.

 

 

“I’m sorry,” the girl that was currently staring Yeunja down said, “Did you just say something to me?”

“What’s the matter Gyuri, are your eardrums made of plastic too?”

The collective gasps and murmurs that left their audience of mostly girls didn’t deter either of them but instead served to fuel the other girl’s anger and Yeunja’s confidence.

Park Gyuri was a senior, and she also happened to be the most well-known girl in school. There were different reasons for that, some not as flattering as others, to say the least. Yeunja wasn’t surprised to see her when she walked into the bathroom as she was about to leave. She was a little scared, because the girl in front of her had quite a reputation and she knew that what she was aiming for was definitely a fight.

She was cornered exactly a week before, last Thursday, by the girl’s locker room. She usually took that route to reach her last class. It was a lot less crowded than the main halls and she usually arrived with plenty of time to spare. She knew that the girls that man-handled her were sent by Gyuri. She saw them together frequently. She was worried for a while. There was a rumor going around about how Gyuri wanted to put Yeunja in her place.

“You really think you’re hot shit now, don’t you? Just because Woohyun takes pity on ugly girls like you doesn’t mean anything.”

Yeunja let out a mocking laugh, “Well at least he looks at me. He doesn’t need to look at you to know you’re fucking fake.”

There was a bit of encouragement from some girls, obviously taking her side, until the sound of a slap resounded through it, bringing another collective gasp that silenced everyone again. Yeunja’s hair covered her face as her hand went to cup her cheek, the burning sting quickly spreading. She turned to look at the girl, obvious anger reflected in her eyes but there was a smirk on her lips.

“Even you know it’s true. He’s never even spoken a word to you. What makes you think you have to right to even utter his name?”

“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you!” The girl yelled as she moved forward again.

“Yeunja!”

“It’s her brother!”

“It’s Sunggyu!”

A couple of voices from the crowd made it known who it was and almost immediately after, the small crowd parted to let the senior through.

“What’s going on?” he asked, his sharp glare sending daggers to the girl standing in front of Yeunja.

“Oh nothing, we were just having a nice talk,” the girl sent the red head a smile. It was the same girl he had in his English class. Miss Popular, as he liked to call her . He’d be changing that to Miss Bitch.

He ignored her as he took Yeunja’s hand, “Come on, you can’t be safe in a snake’s nest.”

“Snake?!”

He ignored Gyuri as he pulled his sister away from the crowd that had also begun to disperse. It wasn’t until they reached the stairs that he stopped to face his sister. They encountered Dongwoo and Hoya on their way back and followed closely behind. He crossed his arms as he studied her but she refused to meet his eyes.

“What was that all about?” he asked, finally, “And don’t you dare say ‘nothing.’”

“… I don’t know what got into her. She just came up to me.”

“Yeunja,” he warned before softening his voice, “Is she the one who’s been giving you those bruises?”

His sister looked alarmed, glancing at Dongwoo and Hoya, “We all know about it, so spill it.”

She groaned as she covered her face before looking up at her brother, “Fine. But you have to promise me you won’t get mad.”

He gave her a look but relented soon after. He knew she’d keep tight lipped otherwise. His sister acquired that trait from their father after all. She fidgeted for a second, sparing glances to Dongwoo and Hoya.

“Because of… Woohyun…”

“…What…?”

“Because of Woohyun!”

“What do you mean ‘because of Woohyun’?” Sunggyu asked, confused.

“Come on! You know how popular he is with the girls! They’re just mad that we get along…”

Sunggyu stared at his sister, his expression somewhere between confused and surprised. Didn’t stuff like that happen in those predictable teen movies with the popular girls and the not-so-popular girls? That was exaggerated in the movies, wasn’t it? Sunggyu turned to Hoya who shrugged.

He then turned to Dongwoo, “I hate the girls in this school.”

Dongwoo giggled as he remembered his first declaration of his dislike of the girls a while back.

“I guess you’ll just have to stop getting rides—”

“No! That’s admitting that I’m afraid of her! I’m not afraid of her!” Yeunja exclaimed, irritated.

“I don’t care if you’re afraid or not! Think of our parents!” Sunggyu argued back.

There was a moment of silence in which his sister seemed to want to shout her counter-argument as well, but she took a deep breath instead, calming herself down. Sunggyu relaxed at seeing that.

“I _am_ thinking of them. I could have just as easily pulled her hair off if I wanted to back there, but I didn’t. I don’t want to get in trouble over something like this. I can handle myself, okay?”

Sunggyu sighed but was not the least bit satisfied.

“I gotta go. My teacher is probably mad I’ve been gone so long. See you guys later,” she said as she headed off to her right, opposite to where all the drama took place.

They watched her walk away silently. A dozen thoughts occupied Sunggyu’s mind. He was still in utter shock that this bullying thing was really happening with his sister all because of Woohyun.

 _What the hell is this guy doing to us?_ He couldn’t help but wonder. He was messing with their lives a little too much. Maybe they should put some kind of distance between each other.

“Sorry…,” his head snapped towards the direction of the voice and slight panic crossed his mind. Woohyun was standing at the foot of the stairs looking up at them.

“For what?” he asked, hoping he wasn’t eavesdropping.

“I heard everything…,” Sunggyu sighed, figuring he probably did, “But you know she has a point. She can’t back off like that. She’ll become an easy target later on.”

Sunggyu glanced up towards the direction his sister took. She was no longer in view. He was satisfied with that as he climbed down the steps, the other two following behind. Woohyun did the same once they reached him.

“Then what do you suppose we do?” he asked.

“What if I pretend to have a girlfriend?” the junior suggested.

“You think that’ll work?” Hoya asked, raising a brow.

“Well, I’m pretty sure everyone knows that I’m single,” he reasoned.

“Who are you willing to trust enough to do that?” Dongwoo inquired, already seeing a couple of problems with the idea.

If he got a ‘girlfriend,’ all the hate and bullying would simply transfer to her. Yeunja would be left alone but someone would still end up getting hurt.

“Well, she doesn’t necessarily have to be from this school… or actually real, for that matter. I can just say I’m dating an older girl,” Woohyun reasoned easily.

“Okay…,” Sunggyu agreed, finding the solution to be way easier than he could have expected.

He wondered if it would really help.

 

 _“Hey baby,”_ Sunggyu froze completely.

The phone almost fell from his hand as he felt his skin break into goosebumps. He almost made an unattractive, non-cohesive noise. Dongwoo’s brow rose when he saw the blood rush to his best friends face.

_“What are you up to?”_

He swallowed around his dry throat and after a second finally spoke, “W-what?”

Dongwoo was a little worried now, “What is it? Did something happen?” he whispered as he stood in his friend’s line of sight. The red head could only shake his head at the moment.

_“Oh, you’re working?”_

“What?” he asked again, his stomach twisting into a knot.

_“Is it so shocking that your boyfriend is calling you?”_

“M-my boyfriend?!” the red head nearly shrieked.

Dongwoo’s brows rose this time but he said nothing anymore, opting to wait until Sunggyu was kind enough to fill him in, despite the fact that he was about ready to snatch the phone from him and demand to know what was going on.

_“Can’t you forgive your cute boyfriend?”_

“Cute?” Sunggyu asked, his shock leaving him when he started to realize what was going on.

 _“I’m not cute?”_ he heard Woohyun ask.

Sunggyu could only roll his eyes, “Listen here Nam Woohyun, you are _so_ dead when I see you.”

He heard the male chuckle, _“I can’t wait to see you either.”_

The senior groaned in frustration, “Why _me_? Why do _I_ have to play the girlfriend? Couldn’t you have done it with your brother?”

 _“My brother?_ _He’s right here with me._ _He’s doing well.”_

“Right…,” Sunggyu answered as he face-palmed, “I hate you.”

_“I love you, too.”_

His skin broke into goosebumps again and all he could do was huff. He heard Woohyun chuckle again through the phone and he spoke again, “Are we done?”

_“I know you’re busy so I’ll let you go.”_

“Well I’m so glad you understand,” the red head said sarcastically.

The male on the other end chuckled yet again, _“I’ll go visit you later,_ _babe_ _.”_

“You little brat, you think I’m just gonna—”

_“Love you too, bye!”_

He froze for another second before sighing and mumbling under his breath, “Who does this idiot think he is?”

“Obviously he thinks he’s your boyfriend,” Dongwoo said teasingly but Sunggyu merely groaned.

“How can he do this to me, Dongwoo?” he asked, a hand over his chest.

He knew nothing Woohyun said was sincere, yet still his heart constricted in happiness when he heard him speak to him like that. It was like he was given a glimpse of something he could never hope to obtain.

“You really like him, don’t you?” his pink haired friend asked, his countenance turning soft.

“I really tried not to… but…,” he sighed as he stared at his phone before pocketing it, “Is this how you feel with Howon?”

It’s Dongwoo’s turn to sigh but it’s quickly replaced with a smile, “These are things we can’t control. So don’t hang on it too much.”


	6. Not So Secret

It was Friday after school and the entire school was already gossiping about Woohyun’s older girlfriend. It was safe to say that the four boys who knew of the plan were beyond surprised. Sunggyu heard the girls buzzing about it all day and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. That girlfriend they were talking about at the moment was supposed to be him after all. He text everyone the news only to be told that they already knew. Maybe that would shut Gyuri up once and for all.

“This worked a little too well, don’t you think?” Dongwoo asked once they were all standing outside around Woohyun’s bike.

“You underestimate the power of gossip, Dongwoo,” Hoya stated, patting the man’s shoulder.

“Well I’ve never been part of it, Mr. Popular,” Dongwoo retorted as he hit the hand away none too gently.

“Well, some girl was standing near me, she looked like she wanted to talk to me… so I made sure she heard everything…,” Woohyun explained as he ignored the slight bickering of those two.

“Well, whatever the case may be, this worked. Good job,” Sunggyu praised, patting the younger male on the head, making him grunt in annoyance and try to smack the hand away. Luckily, Sunggyu retreated when he saw his intentions.

Myungsoo simply laughed at his brother’s misfortune. He was filled in by his brother when they returned to lunch and so he was caught up with everything that was going on. He felt bad for Yeunja, especially since they became close friends.

“Well, anyway, I really think you should stop offering her rides,” Sunggyu said, all traces of playfulness gone.

They all turned their attention to him at those words. Woohyun sighed when he realized Sunggyu wasn’t going to drop it.

“We already talked about this—”

“I _want_ you to stop.”

“I’m not going to do it,” he answered, staring back unwaveringly, “I won’t until Yeunja decides it on her own.”

Sunggyu’s jaw tightened and his retort was forced down his throat as his sister finally showed up. She was out of breath and seemed worried. After greeting everyone, she turned her attention to Woohyun.

“So, Woohyun, I’ve been hearing all day that you’ve got a girlfriend. Is it true?” she asked, glancing at her brother to see his reaction. She was impressed that he could keep his poker face.

“Oh, you have? News gets around quick here. Yeah, I do,” he answered with a smile.

“Oh, really…? Is she older…?” she asked, wanting to get all the info at that very moment. She wanted to know what kind of women he liked. Maybe she’d be able to pick out similarities between his girlfriend and her brother. There was never a lost cause after all, at least not when she was involved.

“Yeah!” he answered happily.

“Is she prettier than Aecha?” she asked, elbowing him teasingly, resisting the urge to turn her gaze to her brother.

“Well… I don’t know about that…,” he responded carefully, suddenly very aware that Sunggyu was there. Dongwoo tensed up a bit and Hoya turned his attention to the red head, wondering what Sunggyu’s reaction could be. He was surprised to see the red head flushing while glaring at his own sister.

“No one can beat her, right?” she asked as she continued to nudge the male playfully, “She’s the prettiest you’ve ever seen, isn’t she?”

Woohyun felt himself go hot in the face, blushing as he tried to rack his brain for something else to talk about and very uselessly coming up with nothing. Sunggyu made it clear that he wasn’t happy he was interested in his older and _married_ sister (not that he could blame him, he wasn’t about to become a home-wrecker either), and Yeunja wasn’t helping his case at all. He didn’t want to get on Sunggyu’s bad side because of that. They were friends now, after all.

Sunggyu huffed loudly before turning away, not bothering to say goodbye to anyone as he began to walk home, completely forgetting about the argument he was having with Woohyun beforehand. It was odd how his sister could make him switch his anger to someone else so easily.

The perks of having siblings that know him all too well.

Dongwoo gave Woohyun a look, one that said ‘you screwed up,’ before saying goodbye in a rush and taking off after his best friend.

 _Stupid Yeunja!_ The red head thought as he practically power walked the first block away from the school. She was being unfair. How could she go and say those stupid things? How could he let himself get affected so much?

“Hey! Gyu! Hold on!” the red head sighed as he slowed down considerably, waiting for the pink haired male to reach him.

The male reached him moments after and he stopped. Dongwoo’s breathing was a little heavy as he adjusted his backpack, “Quite a sister complex you got there... I’ve never seen you do that before...”

“It’s not a sister complex! Yeunja was talking about…!” he stopped his sentence when Hoya reached them as well. There was no way he was going to let Hoya know about how he was abused (well, not abused) by his own sisters. How pathetic was that?

“Wasn’t that a little extreme?” Hoya asked, a bit winded as well. Damn those textbooks in his backpack.

Sunggyu only groaned as he pressed his palms against his temples.

 

 

Hoya was laughing. He was laughing a little too hard. Sunggyu glared at him before taking a pillow and hitting him as hard as he could with it, but it didn’t help.

“Woo-Woohyun…!” he managed to say between his laughter before falling over on the red head’s bed, laughing some more.

Sunggyu sighed as he watched the other. His lips eventually quirked up as well as he realized how ridiculous the whole thing was. Woohyun falling for an Aecha impostor that also happened to be a guy dressed in drag. He finally asked something that was bothering him for a while, the entire week to be precise (and perhaps it was just the thing to get him to stop laughing).

“By the way, why the heck have you been stuck to us like a leech?”

It worked like a charm.

“Is that how you speak to your close friends?” Hoya asked, his laughter gone when he realized he was being compared to a parasitic-like worm.

“Is that how _you_ react to your close friends when they tell you a secret?” he countered.

“…Fine,” he relented, chuckling as he sat up, “It’s because I’ve been worried about Yeunja… She’s like my sister too, you know.”

Sunggyu didn’t say anything, simply nodding at the male, “But wow Gyu, I haven’t been here in a while…,” he stood and was opening the balcony doors at the foot of the bed.

Nothing changed except maybe a few things on the walls and the covers of the bed. The keyboard that was resting next to the desk that was to the right of the doorway was new, as well as the guitar that rested on its stand next to it. The bed was still directly across the door, lengthwise. The T.V. was new and a lot bigger than the one he used to have. It was resting on a small black metal and glass entertainment system with his game console and games sitting orderly on the shelves. The middle shelf was full of CD’s. Nothing but American, English and Korean bands’ discs lined it up with a few pop artists thrown in here and there.

There was a small bookcase to the left of the entertainment system that was filled. There were a few mangas and books sitting on those shelves. There was also a huge mirror hanging on the wall above it. The room was painted a pastel blue that coordinated well with the sheets and pillows of the bed.

“Hmm, I wonder why?” Sunggyu said sarcastically, turning to Dongwoo in his mock wondering, “Why do you think so, Woo?”

“Hmm… maybe because he dumped us for a whole team,” Dongwoo said without any heat but definitely in a teasing manner.

“Hey, I like a little variety. I had to change it up a bit, you know,” he answered back in the same manner.

Sunggyu scoffed, “What an ass. Do they treat you better? Do they do the things we did for you?”

“They’re a little rough, but it’s okay, I like it. But you guys know you are my number one right?” Hoya asked, sending a couple of suggestive looks their way.

“Woah, woah! I think we should stop there, this is getting a little weird,” Dongwoo interrupted with a fit of giggles.

Hoya laughed as well before walking out into the balcony. The afternoon was slowly turning into evening but the sun was still up high in the sky. Hoya remembered the afternoons they used to spend playing video games or playing with Sunggyu’s sisters. The red head’s house was always lively with so many people living in it. He remembered liking that about visiting him and staying over but once he found his own hobby, he gravitated towards it. He never really felt himself lonely after that. He has an older brother, six years older, and he already had his life made. He had his own life to attend to and no longer had time for his younger brother. His parents weren’t workaholics and they were always there when he needed them, but it was still lonely when there was no one his age around to play with.

He owed a lot to Dongwoo and Sunggyu, even if they had no clue. He could have made a bigger effort to hang out with them sooner but he always had some excuse. Although those weren’t entirely lies, practice, skirmish matches and actual matches kept him busy most afternoons during his sophomore and junior years. He was regretting that now. Sunggyu’s house hadn’t changed at all since the last time he was there and that made him happy. He was greeted by everyone like family. He remembered why Dongwoo and Sunggyu were his best friends. He smiled slightly.

“That’s kinda creepy, man,” he heard someone say and he looked around.

The voice sounded awfully familiar. The owner of the voice was confirmed when he turned to the neighbor’s backyard to see Woohyun standing there.

“ _I’m_ creepy? What the hell are _you_ doing here? Spying on Sunggyu’s sister?” he asked, a little disturbed that Woohyun would be sneaking into people’s backyards.

“I live here,” he stated bluntly before muttering, “Dumbass.”

Hoya stared at him for a second, taking in the information slowly before abruptly disappearing into the house, making Woohyun raise a brow in question.

“Woohyun’s your neighbor?!” Woohyun chuckled, his brows raising when he heard that. For a cool guy, Hoya could be quite dramatic at times.

“Yeah…?” Sunggyu answered calmly, giving him a look as well.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“It slipped my mind…?”

“Well _now_ I understand why he gives her rides on a daily basis. I thought he was pinning after her!” Hoya exclaimed, the expression on his face declaring the epiphany he had at that moment.

It made Sunggyu giggle, “You’re an idiot.”

“Yeah well, thanks for filling me in with the details,” he said, giving him a glare.

“Speaking of details, Mr. Witchcraft down there prefers older women,” Sunggyu declared, trying to emphasize the fact that he really wasn’t interested in Yeunja.

“Older women…?” a poorly contained laugh escaped the athlete’s lips before he began to laugh at full blast, “You mean like you?” he asked between breaths.

“The fuck!” Sunggyu yelled, annoyed. He was glad the male found it so funny. It weakened him enough to be thrown out into the balcony. He made sure to lock the door and draw the curtains before turning to Dongwoo who was laughing at the situation.

Sunggyu sighed dramatically, “You guys were made for each other.”

Hoya sat on the dark wooden beach chair that was out on the balcony. It was generously cushioned and he leaned back, letting out a sigh as his body relaxed from all the laughing. He couldn’t help the fact that he thought it funny. Woohyun was such a suave and cool guy, so to know that he didn’t recognize that he fell for a guy was funny, at least to him.

“Did you just get kicked out of the room?”

The dark haired male sat up and looked over the balcony railings. Woohyun was still standing there, next to the trash bins. So the guy was taking out the trash. Cute.

“Say, why don’t you come over?” the other asked, ignoring the question.

“I don’t think Sunggyu wants to see me right now,” the junior stated.

He really wasn’t sure what he would be facing if he saw the red headed senior. He was a little embarrassed at how easily Yeunja’s words turned him into a fool. He could have handled the situation differently, he realized it later, but he completely drew blanks in that instant.

“Bull,” Hoya waved his hand in dismissal before an idea popped into his head, “He actually threw me out here to ask you to come over.”

Woohyun’s brow rose in obvious disbelief. He’d never been invited over before. He didn’t see why that would suddenly change out of nowhere, especially when Sunggyu got mad at him earlier.

 _This guy is pretty smart_ , Hoya thought as he saw his face, “He says he feels bad for overreacting and he’s being a little…uh… stubborn about how to apologize. I’m making this easier for him, man. Trust me.”

Woohyun looked away towards the street. A car passed by their quiet houses, before making up his mind, “Alright. I’ll be there in a bit.”

 

 

Sunggyu sighed as he stared at his hands, absentmindedly picking at his nails. He and Dongwoo were having a serious discussion and he was nervous at what the conclusion to it was going to be.

“This is a big deal, you know?” the red head finally said, in a low voice, “The only ones who know are my family and you. I don’t want this to go public.”

“I know. I’m on the same boat as you,” Dongwoo assured him, “but I don’t think it’s a good idea to let him know… at least not yet.”

“So… I guess we should keep our preferences to ourselves for now then?” Dongwoo nodded and just as Sunggyu got up to go open the balcony doors to finally let the jock in, there was a knock at his door.

“Who is it?” he asked as he changed his direction. He opened the door to reveal the object of his frustrations.

He was about to close the door on him again when the younger guy quickly spoke, “Hoya told me you wanted me here.”

That definitely stopped his movements, “That bastard,” he mumbled before turning and heading to his original destination.

“Come in. Let’s play video games.” Dongwoo invited as he stood from the desk’s chair he was residing on and grabbing two controllers.

“ _How dare you invite people into my room!_ ” they heard Sunggyu yell once he was outside, making the two guys that were inside chuckle.

“It’s almost like watching a drama,” Woohyun commented when he heard Hoya apologize before yelling for help.

 

 

It was another Thursday after school. Hoya made it his duty to follow Sunggyu and Dongwoo home every day. As a result, they all ended up in Sunggyu’s room, some doing homework, others playing video games and sometimes watching some sort of show or movie. Woohyun and Myungsoo were over all week as well.

The bullying incident kind of blew over. Haneul mentioned to Sunggyu that Yeunja was fine. She didn’t see any more bruises on her.

Everyone gathered around the brother’s bikes. They were waiting on her to show up so that everyone could get going. Dongwoo and Woohyun were talking about a show they just started the night before while Hoya and Myungsoo talked about the computing class they shared, with Sunggyu occasionally throwing in his two cents.

There was a sudden commotion by the side doors of the school, around the area where they were all waiting. The red head turned only to see that a large crowd formed a little ways away from the school building. Students were rushing in from all sides, trying to see what all the fuss was about.

“A fight?” Hoya asked no one in particular as he craned his neck to try and see who it was. He left the group to approach the mob but stopped a little ways away, “Hey, Ilhoon!”

The lower classman stopped to address the other, “Hey what’s up?”

“What’s going on over there?”

“It’s Gyuri. She’s picking a fight with the junior again,” the guy answered as he gestured with his hand, telling his friends to wait for him.

“Again?” Hoya asked, not liking the immediate conclusion he drew.

“Yeah, you know, the same one from last week?”

The senior groaned before thanking the teen. He quickly turned to the guys again, “It’s Yeunja!”


	7. Revealed

“You are such a slut!” Gyuri accused the younger girl.

Yeunja sighed as she turned to face the girl, her expression a clear sign that she wasn’t the least bit amused. The girl stood a couple of inches taller than her but it didn’t affect her in the slightest. She wondered why Gyuri stopped harassing her suddenly but it looks like she was only biding her time.

“Yeunja, be careful,” the junior heard one of her friends, Hyuna, say to her, grabbing her bag to keep her from moving forward.

“Don’t worry,” she answered back, not turning to look at her, as she continued to give the girl before her the same bored stare.

“He has a girlfriend and you’re still clinging onto him. It’s pathetic. Are you that desperate? I bet you’ve already offered yourself to him and that’s why he’s keeping you around.”

Her expression didn’t really change except for the smirk that involuntarily found its way to her lips, it was astounding how much she resembled her brother then, “So _that’s_ why Doojoon is keeping you around...”

Dojoon was a senior. Yeunja thought he was interested in her and the dark haired girl liked him as well, it wasn’t a big secret to her friends. His group of friends was similar to Hoya’s. He suddenly stopped talking to her about a week back and saw him with her, a little too cozy for her liking. Her stomach sunk a little at the realization.

“That makes sense now. But you can think what you want about me. You’re not nearly important enough for me to care,” she gave her a smile, “Now if you’ll excuse me, those guys over there? Yeah, they’re waiting for _me_ , bye!”

She barely turned on her heels when she felt her long black hair get pulled back forcefully, making her let out a slight yelp in pain.

“Yeunja!” her friends yelled in alarm.

There was another girl with Hyuna, her name was Gayoon, who stepped forward to try and help, but she stopped when she saw three more girls step forward behind Gyuri, their presence being enough to tell her to stay out of it.

“You’ll go when I say you can go,” Gyuri gritted out before turning her around forcefully by the same hair she held in her hand, letting go when her attention was on her.

Yeunja was in slight shock as her hand went to soothe the abused area of her scalp. Her expression changed quickly. She was seething. She removed her backpack before tossing it to Hyuna.

“I don’t have time for your shit,” was her only warning before a full, unobstructed punch sent Gyuri to the floor. She hissed when she felt the pain erupt on her hand, cradling her clenched hand for a second before turning around, getting her bag back.

“Let’s go,” she told them as she turned towards the direction of her ride.

The crowd practically parted for her, amazed that the studious, intelligent, cheerful girl could actually knock down the most popular girl in school with a single hit. She was surprised when she was ambushed by her brother as soon as she was in sight.

“What happened?” he asked as he tried to look over the many heads behind her. He noted her two friends standing there but they quickly bowed and excused themselves, whispering to Yeunja that they’d talk to her later. The little path closed off and he couldn’t see what was going on behind it.

“Nothing, we should get going,” she said as she pressed her right hand against her body. The pulsing in her right hand was painful and she regretted using all her force to throw the punch.

“What’s wrong with your hand?” Woohyun asked when they reached her. It didn’t take him long to be sure of what it was that happened.

“Why didn’t you say it would hurt this much, Woohyun?” she asked, giving him a quick glare as she flexed her fingers.

He laughed as they made their way back to the bikes, “A half-assed punch would have done nothing.”

“Punch…?” Sunggyu asked, shocked.

“She really asked fo it,” the girl explained simply, studying her knuckles that were turning red before looking up, a smile on her lips, “Let’s go, I’d rather not fend off all her friends, you know?”

There was no argument that he could make with that, so he pulled her along instead, “Hurry up. Mom and Dad are gonna be so mad when they find out!” he said, mostly to himself. He couldn’t stop the praises his friends kept giving her and all the high-fives she kept getting from Woohyun.

“You are officially my sister, if you need me for anything, just let me know,” Woohyun said, half-jokingly, making the rest of the guys laugh.

“Hurry up! You can celebrate at home!” Sunggyu urged.

“Alright, alright,” Woohyun agreed as he quickly turned his bike on, Myungsoo doing the same.

They took off almost instantly. Sunggyu didn’t wait as he quickly began to walk home, his two friends behind him.

“Listen guys, I don’t think it’s a good idea to come over today. If the school calls home… I don’t want anyone to hear it...”

Dongwoo pouted. He wanted to know all the dirty details about the ordeal but he understood what Sunggyu was saying. He would find out later anyway. He relented, Hoya following along.

He tried to think of some sort of excuse, anything to try and make the situation not sound as bad as his parents may picture it on his way home. However, he drew a blank as he finally reached his house. Woohyun and Myungsoo were sitting outside on their porch, probably waiting for everyone to get there. He could see Woohyun crane his neck to see if there really was nobody with him. The red head simply shook his head as he headed up the path to his own house. The only thing that was left to do was to wait with bated breath.

 

 

“Sunggyu~!” His older sister, Haneul, sang as she knocked on the door to his room, “I know you’re available right now~,” she continued.

She opened the door to see her brother laying back against his bed, propped up by numerous pillows and his phone in hand. He spared her a glance before asking what she wanted.

“Oh, you know… my assessment is next week and since you don’t have any friends over today… Could I borrow you?” She asked, trying to sound as friendly and normal as possible.

Sunggyu didn’t lift his gaze from his screen as he swiped at it quickly. He was probably typing a text message, “…When do I ever have a choice…?”

She simply smiled at her brother and placed the desk chair in front of the vanity mirror in his room, “You’re a life saver, brother dearest.”

A few minutes later and he was sitting on the chair with his sister scrutinizing his appearance. She was staring intently at a particular spot on his face. Sunggyu pulled away from her, she was too close. She then poked his jaw and he winced in pain.

“That’s a pimple…,” she sighed, “Maybe we should pick up that routine for your skin again. I can take some of it from school if you want.”

“Sure,” he replied.

“…Are you stressing?” she asked, a little worried at his lack of response, “Does it have to do with Yeunja?”

Sunggyu made sure to fill his sister in on what happened the week before and she was worrying as well. He stared back at her, unsure of what to answer. He didn’t want to give anything away if she didn’t know what was going on. He wanted to keep it a secret, at least until everything blew over.

“What’s wrong? You two have been on edge all afternoon. Why?” she looked through her things to begin applying the make-up, “You didn’t kill anyone, did you?” she joked.

“…Don’t tell anyone, okay?” he said, trying to make sure that she wouldn’t accidentally make a comment to anyone about it.

“Yeah, okay, what?”

He proceeded to relay Yeunja’s adventure. He got the full story from her after getting home and pulling her into his room. He was really worried but once his sister assured him that there wasn’t a scratch on her except for the dull throb in her hand, he was relieved. He was also annoyed at the fact that he couldn’t be mad at Woohyun for teaching her how to throw a proper punch. It came in handy.

“Don’t you think Woohyun deserves some kind of reward?” Haneul asked as she gave Sunggyu the last touches of blush.

“No,” he said simply.

“Oh, come on. You should at least let him get a glance at you again! He’s completely taken by our big sis Aecha!” she teased as she allowed him to examine his appearance in the mirror.

He wasn’t sure what kind of technique she used but he was surprised at how slim his face looked. His face was round, his cheeks somehow still full with baby fat, so it was new seeing it so different.

There was a sudden movement by the door and they both glanced towards it. The gasps and expressions of shock that graced their features matched almost exactly as they caught sight of the culprit through the mirror. It was Nam Woohyun.

It was shock that the junior felt when he saw the pretty face gazing back at him. _It’s her!_ Were his initial thoughts, until he realized that she was wearing Sunggyu’s clothes. And then he realized it wasn’t even a she to begin with. It _was_ Sunggyu. He didn’t give them a chance to say anything as he turned back around and practically flew out of the house.

 

 

Sunggyu was sitting against the bed again later that night, only this time he held a pillow between his arms and was listening to some music. The soothing voice of his favorite singer filling his hearing as he silently sang along. It was safe to say that he was a little depressed and too much of a coward to even consider texting Woohyun. Dinner was over two hours ago and he was sitting in the dark for just as long. He didn’t even text Dongwoo. He was just worried over what would become of his and Woohyun’s friendship. He didn’t realize he was dozing off until his phone vibrated against his chest, alerting him of a new text message.

His eyes widened slightly. It was Woohyun.

 ** _Hyun_**  
_So… interesting hobby you have_

Sunggyu nearly face-palmed but he resisted the urge as he answered, _It’s not a hobby…_

A few seconds and a new message came in, _Lifestyle…?_

 ** _Sunggyu_**  
_No! I told you once that my sister was evil_  
_I wasn’t kidding_

He could only imagine what kind of answer he’d get after that.

 ** _Hyun_**  
_I didn’t think you were serious! D:_

 ** _Hyun_**  
_But you’d make a pretty handsome girl hahaha_

Sunggyu glared at the screen for a second before a smirk crossed his lips, _Apparently, since you kept thinking I was my sister. But I’m not taking any suitors right now. Hahahaha_

There was a long wait between the next message and the red head wondered if the other was in too much of a shock.

 ** _Hyun_**  
_WHAT?!!_

The senior giggled at the response and took his headphones off, stopping the music soon after.

 ** _Hyun_**  
_THAT WAS YOU?_

 ** _Hyun_**  
_HOLY SHIT_

 ** _Hyun_**  
_You actually look like a girl…_

‘Is she prettier than Aecha? No one can beat her, right? She’s the prettiest you’ve ever seen, isn’t she?’ He hated the fact that Woohyun’s reaction to those questions flattered him more than he cared to admit. It was probably the only time he’d ever see Woohyun be flustered over him. He stood from his bed and headed towards the balcony, suddenly wanting to see the few stars that the night sky offered to him.

 ** _Hyun_**  
_You’d totally be my type if you were a girl_

Sunggyu rolled his eyes, failing to keep his heart from skipping a beat, _Shut up before I offer you up as the next sacrifice._

He leaned against his door, staring up at the sky. He could hear crickets and cicadas, the usual sounds of a summer night reaching him.

 ** _Hyun_**  
_You wouldn’t…!_

 ** _Sunggyu_**  
_I WOULD_

There was a long pause and the red head thought that the junior forgot he was texting him. But he didn’t really care. He was just glad Woohyun was talking to him. He felt like the incident from earlier never happened. He was completely unaware of the younger male that was watching him from the front porch of his house.

There was a certain charm Kim Sunggyu possessed that Woohyun slowly started to discover over their friendship. It seemed a lot more clearer at that moment.

 _You really are pretty…,_ the junior tapped the send button and waited for the other’s reaction.

A big smile graced Sunggyu’s features as he read the message. Everything suddenly seemed just a tad bit brighter.

 

 

 ** _Dubu_**  
_My cousin is over. He’s been asking for you since yesterday_

 ** _Sunggyu_**  
_He’s already here?_

 ** _Dubu_**  
_Yeah. He didn’t tell you?_

 ** _Sunggyu_**  
_He kinda mentioned it_  
_but why is he asking?_

 ** _Dubu_**  
_idk_  
_You should come over if you’re not busy_

 ** _Sunggyu_**  
_Okay sure_  
_I’ll let you know later, okay?_

 ** _Dubu_**  
_Sure thing_

 


	8. Lee Junho

“So… about Woohyun yesterday…” Haneul asked, unsure of how to bring up the topic.

They just finished lunch and were sitting outside on the porch swing. Haneul was on Sunggyu’s left while Yeunja was on his right. Choonyei and Jinho were running around the front lawn playing tag with some other kids from the neighborhood. He heard Yeunja giggle at the mention of their neighbor’s name. She heard what happened from his sister and she couldn’t help the giggles that escaped her. Sure she felt bad but it was just too funny.

“Everything’s fine. We talked last night,” he said.

“Aww, how cute!” Yeunja gushed as she pinched one of her brother’s full cheeks, “Kiss and made up did you?”

He swatted her hand away, clearly annoyed by her actions. He picked up his phone and unlocked it, quickly locating the messages from last night. He handed the phone to Haneul, letting her read their banter from the night before. The older girl squealed in delight, completely ignoring the fact that he had called her evil.

“Oh my gosh Sunggyu!! Oh my gosh!” she squealed happily as the phone was taken from her by the younger sibling.

He couldn’t help the smile that graced his lips as he was slightly manhandled by his older sister. He was being shaken back and forth and it was only a matter of time before Yeunja joined in on the pulling and pushing.

“He’s so gay for you!” Yeunja said in a high pitched voice , only loud enough for their ears .

He laughed at that, “I sincerely doubt it. I speak like this with Dongwoo and Hoya too, but it made me happy. He doesn’t think I’m too weird, at least, _Haneul_ ,” he accused with his voice, making his sister laugh.

“What are you guys doing?”

They all jumped, turning to face the owner of the voice. Sunggyu’s heart nearly fell to his stomach.

“We’re bonding, thank you very much,” Yeunja said, a little annoyed that their excitement was cut short by the very guy that made them act as such. She wanted a little more time to tease her brother. It was the first time something was happening with his love life after all.

“It looks like you’re using him as some kind of ping pong ball,” Woohyun stated as he stepped up on the porch from the other side and leaned against the railing.

Sunggyu breathed easy when he figured Woohyun didn’t hear anything strange, “Well if you had sisters, you’d understand. This species has different ways of showing affection,” he hissed when Haneul hit him with a closed fist on his upper arm, not pleased at how he was referring to them. The red head gave her a glare as he tried to soothe the pain away.

The dark haired male only chuckled, “Maybe I will one day,” he said wistfully.

“Is your mom planning another pregnancy?” Yeunja asked, surprised.

“What…? No, that’s not what I meant. I mean sister-in-law,” he clarified. At that moment, Sunggyu’s phone went off and he quickly checked it.

“What if there are no siblings?” Yeunja asked.

“I’ll only date those that do,” he answered simply.

“But wouldn’t you be closing up your options?”

Sunggyu typed in an answer as he answered, “It’s not really common to have an only child nowadays. He wouldn’t be missing out on a lot.”

“Your brother’s right. But who’s to say anyway,” Woohyun stated.

“That’s right. One cannot control the matters of the heart,” Haneul added sagely, making Woohyun and Yeunja ‘oh’ at her words, thoroughly impressed with her.

“Well, as much as I’d love to stay here and ponder the mysteries of the universe,” he said as he stood and made his way to the stairs backwards, completely ignoring the knowing raised brows the girls were giving him, “I have someplace I need to be right now. Bye!”

“I can give you a ride, if you want?” Woohyun offered as he climbed down to stand on the ground.

The red head quickly shook his head, “No! That’s fine. It’s just down the street,” he waved his goodbye again before heading down the sidewalk to their right.

“He’s really scared of those bikes, isn’t he?” Woohyun asked with a slight smirk.

 

 

Sunggyu wasn’t expecting to see a number of guys playing outside on his friend’s lawn when he arrived. They looked big and strong, tall too. It was safe to say he was more than intimidated by the sight. He took a step back. He was starting to regret accepting the invitation and was about to turn around with his tail between his legs when he caught sight of Jinki. Apparently the other caught sight of him as well. He smiled at his friend, sighing at the same time. Well, so much for that.

He was glad that the younger teen went to go greet him.

“Why are there so many guys here…?” Sunggyu asked, not happy at the sudden situation.

“Uh well… I don’t really know either…?” he offered.

The red head gave him a look but their conversation was cut short when they both heard someone call out to Sunggyu. They turned their attention to the guys that all stopped what they were doing, their attention on the guy that was making his way over to the newcomer.

“Wow, it’s been a while!” the new arrival said happily, “Your hair looks good.”

“Thanks…,” Sunggyu studied him for a second. The familiarity of his face made Sunggyu give the guy a scrutinizing look. He almost recognized him but it seemed to be out of his immediate reach. It made the younger guy laugh.

“Come on, you don’t remember me? It’s Junho.”

Sunggyu’s eyes widened as he turned to look at Jinki who only nodded knowingly.

“You can’t be… There’s no way…!” he stood there, mouth agape for a second before finally forming a coherent sentence, “The years have been good to you…”  _ Really good _ , he thought.

Junho laughed, his eye-smile a handsome thing to behold. He remembered telling the male that was a great feature he had going for him and it certainly didn’t change. But he was at a complete loss for words. Junho was no longer the short, thin, overly tan, overgrown and scruffy haired kid he used to be. What he saw before him was practically a man. He filled out in all the right places, his hair no longer overgrown aimlessly, but styled nicely (despite all the sweat), his skin was a beautiful even tan that wasn’t too exaggerated like before, and he was now the same height as him.

Sunggyu felt his heart skip a beat. He was indeed handsome.

Junho took his shirt, using the bottom underside of it to wipe the sweat off his brow and face. He and Jinki were given a full view of his flawless body and Sunggyu couldn’t help but avert his eyes, his mind providing him an almost exact but paler set of abs, courtesy of Nam Woohyun.

“Let’s take a break guys!” Junho yelled for the other guys to hear, earning grunts and noises of disapproval.

“They’re a rowdy bunch, huh?” Sunggyu asked no one in particular as he watched them settle on his friend’s front porch, “Who are they anyway?”

“They’re my friends. I came to visit my uncle and they wanted to tag along. We’ll be gone tomorrow afternoon,” the male explained, “Let’s go introduce you.”

“Uh… I’d rather not… I didn’t exactly dress to impress…” he tried to argue but it was quickly refuted by Junho.

“You look good regardless,” he pulled the other along by his arm.

Sunggyu couldn’t help the flustered blush that took over his features, happy to hear such a compliment from the handsome man. He was wearing his favorite black skinnies with a slightly loose white v-neck, his chucks a matching white and black. They were in front of the men in mere instants and Sunggyu shifted in his place.

“This is Taecyeon, he graduated last year,” the guy looked gruff and intimidating. Sunggyu quickly bowed the proper ninety degrees the second he found out he was older, said man greeted with a simple bow of his head. “Wooyoung, he’s your age,” he followed Taecyeon’s example. “And that’s Chansung. He’s my age,” the younger of them stood and gave him a proper bow to which the red head returned a little more leisurely.

“He’s an old friend of ours, his name is Sunggyu,” he introduced the red head.

The male bowed, “It’s nice to meet all of you.”

“The pleasure is ours,” Taecyeon answered for them, “You should go ahead and catch up. We’ll be fine by ourselves.”

“You should let them borrow your pool Jinki. These guys don’t like staying still for too long,” Junho suggested.

“Okay, sure. Follow me guys,” his cousin said, leading them all inside the house and leaving the two outside on the porch.

It took a few moments of fumbling about before the senior spoke, “So this is what you ’ve been up to?” he asked, taking a seat on the top stair and leaning his side against the railing ,  “You’re hanging out with thugs now?”

Junho laughed,  “ Not exactly … I’ve picked up a new hobby,” the other answered, sitting on the other side with his back against the railing so he was fully facing the older male.

“Really? What is it? Basketball? Or track?” He was guessing based on the other’s physiques.

The male shook his head, “Dancing,” he answered as he picked at his nails.

“…Dancing? I would have never thought… you were always running around trying to perfect your soccer while you were here,” Sunggyu said to him teasingly, turning to look at him.

He quickly averted his gaze when he saw Junho’s eyes on him before speaking again, “You’ve changed… a lot.”

The tanned male chuckled lightly, “What about you? You still in love with Nell?”

“Yeah, won’t ever change,” he said with a smile, “So why the sudden visit? I haven’t seen you in what...? Two years?”

There was a small silence that filled their conversation, but it wasn’t entirely uncomfortable. It did make the red head turn to look at the other, “I… I wanted to come see you.”

Sunggyu laughed, “Yeah right. Aren’t you a little too young to be teasing _me_?”

Junho didn’t say anything and only smiled.

“What? What is it? Do I have something on my face?” he asked as he placed his hands on his cheeks, trying to clean them from anything that he could have smeared on them.

Junho chuckled lightly, “You haven’t changed at all…,” his voice turned a bit serious when he spoke next, “but when did you get this pretty?”

Sunggyu felt his stomach do some impossible acrobatic move, his face flushing yet again at the other’s words. He looked down, unsure of how to respond to that. Was he being serious? A fond chuckle escaped Junho, “I’ve never seen you so shy before.”

He felt his face grow warm, “W-well how am I supposed to react to that?! You’re just making fun of me.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“What guy says that to another guy?” Sunggyu countered.

“…The guy that likes the other guy…”

The senior turned to look at Junho, his face serious and his lips slightly parted. He could see the serious gaze of the other and he couldn’t hold it. He averted his gaze before turning away from him, “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he whispered.

He never had any luck with love. Once upon a time he also had a crush on Hoya, but when Dongwoo confessed his feelings for the other to him, Sunggyu decided to leave it be. Dongwoo was brave enough to tell him these feelings and he was too scared to admit to them. He didn’t have a right to fight for someone his friend already admitted to liking. But then suddenly Woohyun showed up and made him feel something stronger. Something he hadn’t quite felt with the crush he had on his friend. Then just as suddenly, he gets a confession from Junho, who he hasn’t even seen in years. He wasn’t even sure how he was supposed to feel.

“I already…,” he stopped before he sighed and continued, “I already have someone I like.”

Junho didn’t say anything for a moment and Sunggyu dared to turn to look at him, “Does this someone like you back?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“But you’re not dating… I’m glad to hear that.”

Sunggyu turned away again. His body felt tingly and he wasn’t sure if he was happy or a little annoyed.

“That means I still have a chance.”

Sunggyu couldn’t help but let out a snort, “You’re not funny, you know? Go find someone else to fuck around with.”

He stood abruptly and quickly got off the porch, cutting across the lawn to head back to his house. He heard Junho calling out to him but he only quickened his pace. He was more than a little surprised when he saw the male himself cut him off, his arms spread to keep him from avoiding him.

“It’s not a joke! I’ve had a crush on you since we met two years ago,” Sunggyu saw a bit of hesitance on his face. The dark haired male was probably disappointed at being unable to confess to him properly, “but I wasn’t sure of my feelings then. I’m sure now. More than sure,” he dropped his hands but continued to stare at the senior’s small eyes, “That’s why I’m here.”

“Are you telling me the reason you came back after two years was because of me, and not your cousin?” Sunggyu asked, obviously not believing it.

“Yes,” there was a moment of silence before he continued speaking, “I couldn’t come back until I was satisfied with the person I was. Until I was sure you’d give me the time of day.”

“…Why?” the red head asked, shocked to hear something like that, “What even made you think I’d accept your confession?” the red head asked, crossing his arms.

Junho sighed, “Because I like  _ you _ .”

 

 

_I’ll be back during the summer break._ _Just think about it and give me a chance._ _I’m not the little kid I used to be._

Sunggyu was laying on his bed, mulling over those words in his head. So his feelings were obvious to a fourteen year old. Or maybe the kid really was interested in him since back then and that was why he was able to deduce the feelings he had for Hoya then. He turned towards the wall. He turned back around soon enough. He couldn’t get the earnest look of the other out of his head. He was so serious as he clasped his more delicate hands in his rough, calloused ones. He couldn’t help but to give in to his request. He supposed the moment could have been a little more perfect if Junho placed the kiss he leaned in to give on his cheek, but he was also glad he didn’t go through with it.

He wasn’t too sure how he would feel  allowing such an intimate gesture .

He gave up on sleeping and threw a pillow across the room in frustration. He sat up and sighed. He needed a distraction from his thoughts. A quick glance at his game console and he was on his feet. He’d play a bit before deciding to sleep.


	9. Chasing

_Summer break… that’s three weeks away…_ , Sunggyu thought as he tapped the eraser of his pencil on his notebook. The teacher was done going over the lesson and assigned problems. It was the last week of lessons. The coming week would be spent reviewing everything and the last would be the final exams.

He placed thoughts about Junho on the back burner as soon as Monday came around. The fight that happened Friday had him worried over his sister’s safety. They were now at Wednesday and not a single thing seemed out of place. That didn’t mean he thought they were safe. He just needed to be more alert. He didn’t know what Gyuri was capable of. No one reported the fight and while he was glad for that, he just didn’t think he could relax.

Jinki approached their table that Monday however, and bowed deeply towards the red head. Sunggyu was confused while the rest of his friends looked on, unsure of what was going on.

“I’m sorry about my cousin.”

The red headed teen quickly stood up, wrapping his arms around the other’s shoulders and leading him away from prying ears. He deemed them safe enough when they were outside the cafeteria doors.

“I don’t know what he did but he told me you left Saturday because of something he said.”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to apologize for him,” Sunggyu reassured.

“What did he do?” the brunet asked, genuinely curious.

“He just… He was teasing me and I didn’t like it, that’s all.”

Jinki nodded and, even though he seemed like he wanted to ask more, let it drop, “Thanks for coming anyway. You should come over again sometime and invite the guys. We can use the pool now,” the guy smiled before he headed off towards his usual table.

 

 

He was putting up his book and notebook, waiting for the bell to ring to announce the end of another school day. He waited for the first rush of kids to get out of the classroom, checking his phone briefly before finally getting up and leaving himself. He was surprised to see Woohyun waiting outside the room.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Well, I could go and meet up with Yeunja instead…?” he made to walk away but was held in place by a firm grip on his shirt’s collar.

“You aren’t funny,” he stated, letting go before brushing past him.

“What’s up with you? You’ve been acting weird since Sunday,” Woohyun asked, hurrying his steps to catch up with the red head.

Sunggyu sighed, “I’m still worried about Yeunja.”

“I think she’ll be fine. She’s a lot tougher than she looks.”

“Nam Woohyun!”

Both guys stopped at the yell that echoed off the hallways along with the rest of the student body that was still filing out of the classrooms. The dark haired male turned, curiosity on his features. Sunggyu did too and who he saw made him frown in disapproval. Woohyun however smiled leisurely until the person was standing in front of them.

“Nam Woohyun,” his eyes landed on her reluctantly, his face instantly showing disinterest.

“Who are you?”

She scoffed before deciding to smile, “I’m Park Gyuri.”

“Ohhhh,  _ you’re _ Gyuri?” he leaned to his right, looking at the side of her face before giving a slight frown.

He couldn’t see any bruise on her cheek. Sunggyu shook his head. He knew what he was looking for and he leaned in to whisper in the younger male’s ear, “Make-up covers anything.”

“Ah, you would know, right?” he teased, elbowing the other’s arm, making Sunggyu give him a glare and a push with his shoulder.

“Anyway,” she said, raising her voice to catch the guys’ attention, “I have a deal for you.”

The dark haired male raised a brow, not liking the attitude she was showing, “A deal?”

The red head sighed as he took a step back, “Don’t take long. Everyone should be waiting for us already.”

“Hey, wait!” he grabbed the older male’s forearm, “Sorry. Not interested,” he said to the girl before turning to leave with Sunggyu.

“Not even if it involves Yeunja?” the girl smirked as she threw her dyed brown hair over her shoulder.

That certainly made both guys stop again and Sunggyu couldn’t keep himself from stepping forward towards her, “Leave her alone,” he was pulled back by the hand that was gripping his arm.

“Was  that punch she threw at you not enough ?” Woohyun asked, amused.

The smirk on her lips fell, “What?”

“Just leave her alone, you’re better off that way,” the junior stated.

He slung an arm over Sunggyu’s shoulder and began to lead him away.

“I will if you go out with me!” she yelled.

Woohyun let out an unamused scoff but no longer turned around, “Sorry, I’ve already got a girlfriend, plus, you’re not my type,” and continued on his way with the senior under his arm.

They were surprised when Dongwoo and Hoya reached them, greeting the junior with hand clasps as they looked over their shoulder at the fuming girl that was no longer in their immediate view.

“Did you really just flat out reject her?” Dongwoo asked, laughing.

“She’s every guy’s dream, man. You sure you wanna pass that up?” Hoya joked.

They were filled in on their way out of the school.

“I doubt she’s stayed a dream for long,” he said as he waved his hand in dismissal.

“You’re not wrong about that,” Hoya smirked.

“See? Even you’ve had a piece of her,” Hoya’s eyes widened and he quickly denied any such thing when he saw the looks his best friends gave him. They were akin to disgust and disappointment.

“I swear I haven’t done anything!” he said as he held his hands up, as if such an action would prove his innocence, “It’s not that she hasn’t tried, but I just didn’t let her.”

“You  don ’t mean she... ?” Dongwoo  didn ’t finish his inquiry .

The athletic man shifted his gaze from Sunggyu to Dongwoo to Woohyun. Dongwoo and Sunggyu were never really around that crowd to know anything about it. Sure there were rumors that always went around but they both thought that was all they were, rumors, nothing to take seriously.

“There’s always one. I’ve been to three different high schools and not one has been different. Besides, I happen to only like classy girls,” Woohyun said with a smile.

“Like Aecha?” Hoya asked, teasingly.

“No, like my girlfriend,” he pointed to Sunggyu.

The red head elbowed him on the ribs, effectively making him withdraw his arm in favor of cradling his side. Dongwoo laughed heartily, Hoya accompanying his friend’s giggles as they left him behind.

“You know what!? You can walk home!” Woohyun yelled.

“I always walk home, dumbass!” Sunggyu answered.

 

“ Sunggyu … why do you refuse to ride my bike?”

It was Friday afternoon, a couple of hours after school. Instead of heading inside like they always did, they were sitting around on Sunggyu’s porch.

“Because you’re on it.”

Dongwoo giggled silently at the answer but said nothing.

“You don’t trust me? Is that it? But I thought we had something special!” Woohyun cried dramatically.

Sunggyu sighed, rolling his eyes at the male’s dramatics. He guessed he could say they were close friends now. He’s seen sides of Woohyun that no none else has and they texted a lot. Although there were times when he wished they didn’t. Somehow it always ended up with Woohyun calling him pretty or beautiful and Sunggyu wouldn’t know how to answer. He hated how such words affected him so much and as much as he liked it, he couldn’t help the uncomfortable knot that would take residence in the pit of his stomach.

“You know, I think I liked it better when we weren’t friends. You just seemed a lot more normal then,” Sunggyu said, ignoring his questions completely.

Hoya laughed, “That’s harsh, man.”

“He always tries acting cool but Woohyun is a dork at heart,” Myungsoo explained helpfully.

That kid was incredibly reserved at first but opened up in a span of a week of the impromptu get-togethers at Sunggyu’s. He was pretty shy and usually let Woohyun do all the talking. Now he got so comfortable with the group of friends that he would make fun of his own brother.

“Yah, don’t help me out here,” Woohyun said, lightly shoving his younger brother.

“What does he do? Sing while he showers?”

Myungsoo’s contained laughter amused Sunggyu but he didn’t press the matter. Woohyun only turned red as he tackled his younger brother to the floor, slapping a hand over his mouth in an attempt to keep him from ruining his cool guy image. They didn’t need to know he sang Taylor Swift or Rihanna songs in the shower. He would die of embarrassment right then and there.

“How cute. Must be nice to have a brother,” Sunggyu commented.

“Myungsoo!” They all turned their attention to the new voice.

It was Choonyei and she brought her friends along with her. She ran up to the porch and greeted everyone. Sunggyu turned to survey her friends. There were four of them, all around her age. He waved at them, recognizing them from previous times.

“Would you like to play tag with us?”

Hoya perked up when he heard that, “Tag? Can I play too?”

Choonyei lit up when she heard that and nodded enthusiastically.

“Let’s go play,” Hoya motioned to Woohyun who only gave it a second’s thought before nodding as well and standing up from the cushions that were on the floor.

Choonyei  was extremely happy to have gained three more players.

“Come on, let’s go play,” Woohyun invited Sunggyu but the red head merely groaned in disapproval.

“Don’t even try. All he’s good for is looking pretty.”

The laughter that erupted from all his friends made him turn red. “Hey! Brat!” he stood, making the girl squeal and run away, leaving laughter behind.

“Well, since you’re up already, let’s just all go play,” Woohyun stated as he came up behind him, grabbing his waist and pushing him forward to go down the stairs.

 

 

It was seven minutes into the game and everyone with the exception of Hoya, Myungsoo and Woohyun, were out of breath. Sunggyu was tagged already by one of his sister’s friends. His name was Niel. He successfully tagged Myungsoo in a moment of confusion and now Hoya was it. He managed to catch up to Dongwoo and now the poor pink haired male was giggling like a maniac. It was a stand-off. Both were ready to bolt at any moment but the scene was severely dampened by his best friend’s laughter.

Hoya  wore an amused smile on his lips, “Why are you laughing?”

“I dunno… it’s a defense mechanism,” Dongwoo continued to giggle.

Hoya laughed at his response before standing up straight, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you three seconds to run away. How does that sound?”

“Really?” he said, giggling.

The short, dark haired male nodded, “One.”

Dongwoo quickly took off, but it was to no avail, “Two-three!”

He yelled in surprise as he felt strong arms wrap around his shoulders to keep him in place but his legs quickly gave way as his ever present laughter weakened him considerably, dragging Hoya down with him in the process. The pink haired male was on his knees while the other was squatting behind him.

“You really suck at this,” Hoya laughed before letting go of him, “I’m still it!” he yelled as he scanned the area.

Sunggyu froze the moment he caught his gaze. His eyes told him Hoya chose him as his next target. He was about to turn around and run when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his midsection, keeping him in place.

“What the hell!” he turned to see who it was and was surprised to see the younger male using all his strength to keep him from moving.

Apparently, Woohyun was gesturing to Hoya to go after Sunggyu and that he would hold him in place. Sunggyu struggled to remove the hands from him. Luckily he didn’t hold his arms down and it was a lot easier to pry the hands away from him that way. He narrowly managed to escape, running as far as he could from the two.

Woohyun was expecting Hoya to pass him and run after the red head but to his surprise, he felt a tap on his shoulder accompanied by a, “You’re it.”

He didn’t even have time to react. By the time he registered what happened, Hoya was far away, tending to the literally fallen Dongwoo. He was laying on the grass trying to catch his breath. The younger athletic male decided to let them be, deciding that it wouldn’t be fun to go after the weak and easy targets, at least until his eyes landed on Sunggyu.

They decided to use the whole of the Kim and Nam’s front yards as the battlefield, driveways included. Currently, Sunggyu was standing behind a car on the farthest side from Woohyun, which happened to be the Nam’s driveway. He didn’t keep the smirk from showing on his lips. Everyone was standing a safe distance away from him and almost all were in between him and the red head.

He supposed he could give a little thrill to the kids that were currently standing around.

It was amusing to see them scramble about, barely out of his hand’s reach but only because he wanted it that way. He managed to reach Sunggyu with breath intact. He put his hands on the trunk of the light grey Hyundai. Sunggyu was standing almost directly opposite of him; his hands resting on the hood.

“You’re not getting away this time,” he said, with a smile on his face.

The red head never told anyone, but for some reason, Nam Woohyun looked even more of a fool when he smiled, and that was enough to have him hum in disbelief at the threat. Woohyun did it mostly to give the older male a false sense of security, but he chased him around the car a good two times before he decided it was taking too long. Without much warning and in one swift move, he pulled himself up onto the hood of the car.

“What now?” Woohyun asked as he saw the face Sunggyu made.

But the senior didn’t answer. He took off instead. Woohyun jumped off and chased after him. He was heading to the other driveway but the junior was hot on his tail.

“Dongwoo is the safe base!” Hoya yelled, waving his arms to try and catch their attention.

“What?” the pink haired male tried to get up but was stopped by a hand on his shoulders.

“Just stay here and no one will get hurt,” Hoya said as he pinned the other’s hands against the ground.

Dongwoo seriously needed to do something about his giggling tendencies, but it didn’t matter to Sunggyu at that particular moment. He could hear Choonyei and her friends cheering for him but that was also lost in a second. All he could see was Dongwoo, at least until he tripped when he felt the same arms as before wrap around his body.

“Caught you,” the younger male said, sounding out of breath. Sunggyu could say he was a bit satisfied to hear him like that.

Needless to say, it took a couple of moments for a particular someone to catch his breath and gain enough motivation to resume the game.


	10. Teasing

“What was all that about, Gyu?” he heard  Haneul ask as she caught the male by himself in the kitchen.

She was smiling smugly at him. It was like she knew the answer to the question before even asking it, but was giving him the pleasure of telling her. He, on the other hand, was completely lost. It quite possibly showed on his face, judging by the way Haneul rolled her eyes at her oblivious brother.

“There was a lot of touchy-feely going on with Woohyun today,” she clarified, “What was that about?”

“Oh,” Sunggyu said disinterestedly as he turned back to getting the cold bottles of water from the fridge, “We were playing tag, how else are we supposed to tag each other?”

“Oh, I don’t know: the common tap on the shoulder, your arms or the back. Not the whole wrap-my-arms-around-you kind of thing you had going there.”

“You’re reading too much into these things. You do it with Kkotip all the time and that doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” he reasoned as he closed the fridge.

He turned to give her a look to get his point across before turning to go back into the living room and upstairs.

“Yes it does! It means we’re close enough to feel comfortable, but I guess it’s a good thing to have such a level head… What if those little things actually do mean something though?” she asked as she followed behind him.

The red head sighed. He was standing at the foot of the stairs and he peered up to see if anyone was up there or by the railing. He didn’t see anyone and turned to his sister.

“Even if they did, I wouldn’t do anything about it.”

“And why not?”

“Because it’s pretty obvious that you like him, too. And let’s be real here for a second; of course he’d choose you over me any day,” he gave her a smile, simply to show her that he wasn’t mad over it, but it still conveyed the sadness of the reality he he chose.

Haneul felt her heart break for her brother at that moment, but she was left to swallow the words she was going to say as Choonyei came down the stairs.

 

 

It seemed that both Dongwoo and Hoya were too tired out to even consider walking home. So with a quick call by both parties, they got the go-ahead to spend the night at the Kim’s household.

“I can’t believe you still have this…” Hoya remarked as he caught the sleeping bag that was tossed his way.

“Of course I still have it. We would stay up late into the night when Dongwoo stayed over and cry because you dumped us.”

Hoya simply rolled his eyes, “Are you ever gonna let me live that down?”

“Nope,” Sunggyu smiled cutely before throwing a pillow at his face.

They all showered already and while Dongwoo’s set of pajamas were stored away in Sunggyu’s closet, Hoya did not have any. He borrowed some basketball shorts from the other and was shirtless. Sunggyu said he was going to look through his clothes to give him a shirt but instead decided to pull out the sleeping bags that were stored away. The red head went to throw himself on his bed, letting out a sigh of contentment.

“Uh… what about the shirt?”

Sunggyu groaned into the mattress, “Why are you so needy?!” before standing, “God, the things I do for you.”

Dongwoo started his signature giggling. It was always so much fun to see the two bicker. They were like a married couple.

“I know I’m sexy, and if you want me shirtless that bad, you can just ask, you know?”

“I can think of a couple of other guys I’d rather see shirtless, to tell you the truth.”

Hoya clicked his tongue, “Dongwoo, who else has a body like this, huh?”

“Uh… I don’t know! I don’t make it a habit to check the other guys out!”

“Minhyuk is one. Although, he does look kind of weird with that cute face on that body. I’m pretty sure that’s not how it’s supposed to be,” Sunggyu thought as he finally pulled a shirt that was too big on him and he never wore, out.

Minhyuk was another senior at their school. He was Hoya’s teammate in the soccer team. He was pretty popular among the girls because of his small face and killer body. He was a sweet kid that took care of his friends.

“That bastard looks pretty good,” Hoya agreed.

“How have you seen him shirtless?” Dongwoo asked the red head, confused.

“They go out to practice during the last period, and mine happens to be Math,” he explained.

The pink haired male hummed in understanding. The math classes were all located by the practice fields for most of the school’s sports on the third floor. Interestingly enough, English was on the same side just under the math classes on the second floor. Science took that side of the first floor.

“Jonghyun is another one and Woohyun too…,” Sunggyu trailed off.

Jonghyun was also another teammate of Hoya’s. The guy was kind of short but he was loud and funny and handsome as well. He was friends with Jinki and his group. He met him before and spent time with him as well. While they weren’t close friends, they certainly felt comfortable around each other.

“You _have_ been checking out other guys! Why can’t you be loyal like Dongwoo?!” Hoya asked.

“Yeah, yeah. Says the one who traded us for a whole soccer team… manwhore,” he added as an afterthought, making Dongwoo break out into loud laughter.

“What is with this one?” the athletic male asked as he stared at Dongwoo curiously.

“He’s always been like that,” the red head stated.

“It’s gotten worse lately,” he turned his attention to the laughing male, “You wanna laugh, I’ll make you laugh.”

It was the only warning Dongwoo got before he felt fingers begin to dance across his ribs, making him thrash around to try and get away from the other. Sunggyu watched the scene with a smile. He was surprised the jock even noticed that subtle change. Ever since Hoya decided to start hanging out with them again, Dongwoo became even more livelier.

“Sunggyu! Help me!!” the abused male yelled between giggles, struggling and failing miserably at keeping Hoya away from his sensitive ribs.

The red headed senior allowed it to continue for a minute or two before deciding to get up and help his poor pink haired friend. At least until they heard a couple of knocks on his door.

“Sunggyu, honey, it’s late. Can you guys please keep it down?”

Hoya flinched when he realized it was his friend’s mom.

“Sorry mom!”

“Sorry Mrs. Kim!”

“It’s alright. Just keep it down, okay?”

“Okay!” they replied in unison, completely ignoring the wheezing boy on the floor.

They covered their mouths to keep the laughter from leaving their lips. It almost felt like it was four years ago when they all just stepped over the threshold of pre-teens and into the uncomfortable years of adolescence. It almost felt like nothing ever changed.

 

 

The passing week was spent away from each other. Sunggyu took to studying seriously, and he refused to have anyone over for the week. Dongwoo wasn’t a pushover either. He took Sunggyu’s side on the matter. The only times everyone was able to gather and chat for a while was after school.

Although Sunggyu couldn’t deny that he missed the noise and laughter that everyone brought to the house. He didn’t realized they all become so integrated into his life until he was sitting at his desk with an English book open, notes scattered about and a pencil in his right hand.

He finished the review packets they were given the week prior and he was tired of looking at the same thing over and over. He figured he could take the tests blindfolded and still ace them. He was tired of looking at all of it.

Just then his phone went off, a very distinct noise that could mean only one thing. He checked the screen and smiled as he saw the name of the culprit displayed on his otherwise black screen.

**_Hyun_**  
_Break time…??_

He unlocked the phone and quickly entered the chat room.

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Break time sounds good_

**_Ho_**  
_FINALLY._  
_I was about to throw this book out the window_

**_Donggie_**  
_Just in time!_  
_We’re meeting at your place, right Woohyun?_

**_Hyun_**  
_Yup_

The red head furrowed his brows. What were they talking about? A break meant maybe five to ten minutes. Why were they going to Woohyun’s?

**_Hyun_**  
_Just make sure you’re here before 7_  
_I will NOT get up to open that door after 7_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_What?_  
_What are you guys talking about?_  
_I thought we agreed on stopping this for the week_

**_Donggie_**  
_I’ll break in through the window_  
_Gyu we agreed to get together for the show tonight… remember?_  
_We’ve only been talking about this since forever ago_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_uhh_

**_Ho_**  
_Ha! He was too entranced with my sexy_

**_Hyun_**  
_Get out_

**_Ho_**  
_Ahahahaha_

The red headed senior rolled his eyes. Hoya really liked boosting his own ego but he didn’t see why he had to do it at their expense. He didn’t mind really. It always backfired on him anyway.

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Actually, too busy with Myunggie_

**_Ho_**  
_You call him Myunggie??!_

**_Hyun_**  
_It was my brother?!_  
_All this time??_

**_Myunggie_**  
_-_-_

**_Ho_**  
_So what do you call me???_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Ho_

**_Donggie_**  
_Puahahaha_

**_Hyun_**  
_lolol_

**_Myunggie_**  
_lol_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Ha_

**_Ho_**  
You’re such an ass

Sunggyu laughed to himself. Yeah , he always found a way to shut him up.

**_Hyun_**  
_Gyu just get ready and come over_  
_I gotta go get ready_

**_Ho_**  
_Nothing too sexy now_  
_Gyu might jump you_  
_Since he’d rather see you naked_

**_Hyun_**  
_…_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_YOU JUST TOTALLY TOOK THAT OUT OF CONTEXT YOU BASTARD_

**_Donggie_**  
_Pahahaha_  
_That’s kind of what you said though_ _lol_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Ugh_  
_Besides it’s not my fault you don’t do anything for me Ho_  
_ya_  
_lol_

**_Hyun_**  
_lolol_

**_Donggie_**  
_tell him how it is lol_

**_Myunggie_**  
_My poor eyes_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Oh sorry Myunggie_  
_I_ _’l_ _l make it up to you later_

**_Myunggie_**  
_Okay_

**_Hyun_**  
_What a baby -_-_

**_Ho_**  
_Someone’s jealous~_

**_Hyun_**  
_Am not!_  
_Im_ _m_ _a man!_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Haha sure_

**_Munggie_**  
_Woohyun_ _get off already -_-_

Between all the goading, teasing, and playful banter, he completely forgot to ask what it was that they were doing. He shrugged it off before starting to clean up all the mess on his desk. He’d find out soon enough.

 

 

He was going down the stairs with about fifteen minutes to spare when he heard his father call him from the recliner in the living room. The man was watching a soccer game. Sunggyu couldn’t tell exactly which teams were playing but he turned his attention to him.

“Yes?”

“How well are you doing with your exams?”

“I’m doing well.”

“You finished studying? Where are you going?” he asked, as he saw that he wasn’t wearing his usual lounging clothes.

“Yes, I finished. I’m going to the Nam’s. Woohyun invited me over to relax a bit. We’ve been studying non-stop for three days already,” the teen explained, hoping his father wouldn’t send him back to keep at it.

Sunggyu’s dad was a man that just entered his forties. He didn’t look old by any means, but he looked old enough for the gray hairs that started showing up to be justified. He wasn’t strict or anything of the sort, and he’d more or less spoil all his kids, but since Sunggyu was the only male he seemed to have slightly higher expectations of him. Aecha already lived up to what he wanted and more and now it was Sunggyu’s turn to make his father proud. He wouldn’t lie and say that it didn’t stress him, because it did. He had to ingrain certain study habits in order to get the grades he wanted. Sunggyu was never one to be second best at something he could master, whether it was school, music, singing, or even playing video games. He just simply hated losing.

Luckily, his father seemed satisfied with the answer, “Don’t stay out too late though. It’s still a school night.”

“Yes, sir,” he said before asking for his mom.

“She’s outside with your sisters.”

“Okay, see you later, dad,” he waved at him.

“Alright.”

“Mom I’ll be back later. I’m going to Woohyun’s for a little while!” he said quickly as he ran out of the house.

Dongwoo messaged him that he was already outside so they could both go together. The pink haired male waved at Sunggyu’s mom and the two older sisters that still lived there before crossing the yard to the neighbor’s house.

It was the first time he was going to set foot in the Nam household despite the many times that Woohyun and Myungsoo were invited over to his. Dongwoo rang the doorbell. They only waited for a couple of minutes before the younger brother opened the door. He greeted them with a small smile and invited them in.

“We’re gonna be in the living room, so go ahead and make yourself comfortable. Woohyun’s still in the shower.”

They stepped into the foyer and looked around amazed. The house was totally different in style and layout. It looked nothing like Sunggyu’s house. It seemed fancier and quite spacious.

“Over there guys,” Myungsoo pointed towards a doorway to their left that was a little ways away from the entrance.

Everything looked so fancy, modern, crisp and new. They made their way around the coffee table and t ook a seat  on  the sectional couch. They noticed that Myungsoo disappeared.

“Sunggyu, could you come help me really quick?” the dark haired teen leaned into the living room.

“Sure,” he responded as he moved quickly to walk behind Myungsoo.

He was being led to the kitchen, “Oh hey, it looks like our kitchen.”

“Yeah, our parents practically had the whole of the house remodeled except the kitchen. It’s not somewhere they spend time in. Woohyun likes to use it often, though,” Myungsoo explained.

Sunggyu’s eyes widened when he caught sight of all the colorful treats that were placed on different trays. One of them was filled with different fruit cut into small pieces. Another tray was full of pastries, small pieces of cake, cookies, and small cupcakes were placed prettily on it. The last one had sandwiches cut into small triangles. He could see the ham and cheese.

“What the hell? Is this gonna be a party or what?” Sunggyu asked, astonished.

Weren’t those the usual treats they served at banquets? What were they going to do?

“Ah, well… Hyun didn’t know what he was going to want to eat so he just prepared everything…”

What was he going to do if all the food spoiled because it was too much? He didn’t say anything however, and helped Myungsoo move the trays onto the living room coffee table.


	11. Guy's Night In

It was five minutes until the allotted time and Woohyun still didn’t come down. Hoya arrived a couple of minutes prior and claimed the chaise portion of the sectional. He took a plate of assorted fruit and was currently munching on them. The T.V. was on now and they were waiting for the last bit of whatever show was on to finish before the next one came on. It was at around the time the credits started rolling across the screen that Woohyun decided to show.

He was wearing dark jersey shorts and a white tank top. It accentuated and barely hid the contours of his muscled torso. Sunggyu did his best to keep his eyes glued to the screen.

“ Hey , I thought I told you nothing sexy,” Hoya commented as he gave him a light glare.

Woohyun only gave him a smirk as he made his way around to sit next to Sunggyu. With that, all three couch cushions were taken but Myungsoo was still missing. Luckily, the red headed senior noticed and quickly nudged Dongwoo. The teen was standing off to the side. He was considering taking a seat at Hoya’s feet but didn’t look like he wanted to.

In a matter of minutes, Hoya was using Dongwoo’s thighs as pillows and there was enough room for Myungsoo to sit between the two best friends. Woohyun dimmed the lights (from a controller that was sitting on the stand next to the couch) and waited.

 

 

Sunggyu held his feet up on the couch, hugging them close by the half hour mark. He was officially freaked out but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the gruesome display on the television. Adding that to the surround sound system installed into the living room, and he was absentmindedly grasping for Myungsoo’s arm. He wanted some kind of reassurance that someone was there with him even though he had two bodies on either side of him.

Sunggyu really wasn’t cut out for those kinds of things.

While other teens his age boasted about sneaking into the theaters to watch splatter gore at its most gruesome, he’d rather pay to go see a vampire love story. It was probably the way he was raised…

He chanced a peek at Dongwoo. He was a little worse. He really couldn’t stand stuff like that and scared easily. He didn’t contain the smile that took over his plump lips as he saw the sight before him. Dongwoo’s hand was resting on Hoya’s strong shoulder and the athletic male was resting his own above it. Hoya knew about the other’s abnormal fear and he knew the only way to calm him down was to feel someone near.

He turned his attention back to the glowing television in front of them before chancing a glance at Woohyun. He nearly rolled his eyes. He was sitting back like he wasn’t watching people die horrible deaths and come back to life, popping an occasional fruit into his mouth.

As the show continued on (it was an hour and a half special, as Woohyun helpfully announced during a commercial break) he unconsciously leaned onto the younger brother. If Myungsoo minded or not, he didn’t know.

Another commercial break and Sunggyu let out a sigh, leaning back against the couch and getting off of the sophomore. The younger teen got up, announcing that he was going to use the restroom.

“Wait, wait. Show me where it is… I think I ate too much watermelon,” Hoya complained as he got up, earning a few chuckles from the others.

Sunggyu took that chance to scoot over to the other and nudge him playfully. He kept his voice down, keeping in mind that Woohyun was nearby.

“How cute! Hoya keeping you safe?” he smiled teasingly.

Dongwoo scoffed, “Careful, you’re starting to sound like your sisters.”

Sunggyu lightly punched his arm and glared at him, only making the male giggle in return.

They whispered amongst each other for a little bit until Hoya came back, forcing Sunggyu to move into his original place. Myungsoo came in seconds after and the show started again, almost as if on cue. They settled back into that comfortable silence.

It wasn’t long before Sunggyu started leaning over again. Something intense was about to happen and before he could fit himself a little more comfortably against the younger male, he felt an arm wrap around his shoulder.

“This way,” he heard the whisper and he turned to look at the junior.

“Don’t get scared, beautiful,” he said teasingly and pulled him closer.

He felt the tips of his ears burn. He pushed him away, uncomfortable with the situation and not at all liking it. Woohyun however, pulled him in again. He felt his entire right side tingle as the warmth of the other body registered with his own. He smelled lightly of a spicy body wash, the typical kind that any male would have. He smelled good. He tried to keep the smile at bay but it was a reaction he couldn’t control. He knew he should have pushed him away and ignored him completely, but he let himself enjoy the small gesture. It was nice and he didn’t think he’d be able to experience it ever again. It was good to feel someone so close and intimately other than his sisters.

He was glad he had someone to cling to. They reached the climax of the episode and Sunggyu was tensing in anticipation. He clenched the fabric of Woohyun’s shorts in his right hand as he watched it all unfold. He felt something warm settle onto his hand and he glanced down to see what it was.

It was Woohyun’s hand.

He clenched the fabric a little tighter before suddenly getting up. It was sudden and abrupt. Woohyun stared after him as did everyone else in the room, before everyone turned to give the junior a questioning look. The dark haired male shrugged, the action itself showing his confusion. He was unsure of what just occurred himself. He stood to follow him a moment later, wondering where he could have gone.

He just entered the hallway when he saw the bathroom door open. Sunggyu stepped out and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the dark figure standing halfway down the hall.

“Oh my God, you scared me!” Sunggyu reprimanded as he placed a hand over his chest, as if hoping the motion would keep his heart from jumping out of his ribcage.

Woohyun chuckled lightly, “Sorry. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he answered, a little breathless, before passing him.

Woohyun figured Sunggyu thought he was asking about his scare, but that wasn’t it. He wasn’t sure how to ask about it but Sunggyu was already back in the living room, leaving him standing on his own. It wasn’t until he re-entered the living room that he figured he must have done something the other didn’t like. Myungsoo moved over and now Sunggyu was sitting next to Dongwoo, leaning against him with their fingers intertwined.

 

**_Hyun_**  
_Hey…_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Hm?_

**_Hyun_**  
_I’m sorry_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_… For what?_

**_Hyun_**  
_For earlier_  
_You looked scared so I thought…_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_It’s okay_  
_Don’t worry about it_

**_Hyun_**  
_…Are you mad?_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_I’m not._  
_It was just a little weird_  
_Sorry_  
_Ha_

**_Hyun_**  
_Ha_  
_If you were scared you should have said so hyung_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_I was NOT scared_

**_Hyun_**  
_lol_ _sure_  
_Don’t worry_  
_You’re still pretty when you’re scared_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_…_  
_go to sleep_  
_see you tomorrow_

**_Hyun_**  
_Sleep well!_  
_Dream of me pretty_ _Gyu_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Hey_ _!_

**_Hyun_**  
_lol_

 

 

“You know we’re celebrating, right?” Hoya asked Sunggyu.

It was finally Friday _and_ the last test day. All the energy that was drained steadily and surely during the week was just a small portion of the student body’s. It felt like everyone suddenly let loose their reserves and the chattering, laughing, singing and even dancing going on around campus was their way of drawing it out to its full potential.

“Sure, sure,” he answered, waving it off.

“So what happened with that Gyuri chick?” Woohyun asked Yeunja.

They were already gathered and were simply mingling about.

“She’s around… But she won’t even turn to look at me,” she said surprised, “I thought for sure she was going to do something…”

Sunggyu sighed deeply. He was afraid of that too but he figured she either cared about the finals or she was too embarrassed about everything that happened and decided to lay low. Whatever the case was, he just hoped she minded her own business from then on. It was such an ugly thing, jealousy.

“Sunggyu!”

The red head turned at the sound of the familiar voice and he smiled in greeting as he saw the shorter male.

“How’d it go?”

“It wasn’t so bad. You?”

“Piece of cake,” Jinki answered, “I’m not here to brag or anything,” he laughed when he saw Sunggyu roll his eyes playfully, “But Junho texted me earlier today to tell me that he was back.”

At the mention of his name Sunggyu’s smile fell. _This kid was being serious?_ _He actually came back…_ “Oh, he’s back?”

“Yeah, he says he wants to apologize for last time so if you could, to come over later.”

Sunggyu glanced back at his friends. He smiled sheepishly when he saw Dongwoo was listening in to the conversation. He motioned for Jinki to follow him and they walked a little ways away.

“You can tell him he doesn’t need to apologize for anything and I can’t go over later. I already have plans,” he said as he motioned towards his friends with his gaze.

“Well that’s okay but I don’t think you should let him off that easy,” Jinki raised his brows pointedly.

Sunggyu waved it off, “If he’s really sorry he’ll come look for me… Don’t tell him I said that,” he said hurriedly after. He was afraid the other male might take it differently since they weren’t exactly talking about apologizing. He knew the actual reason the younger male wanted to see him was for his answer. He said he’d think about giving him a chance but he didn’t really think the other would come back, much less earlier than he expected. He thought he had the weekend to seriously mull over their conversation calmly.

Jinki smiled before saying his goodbye. His friends were waiting for him. The red head waved to all of them before returning to his group of friends. Dongwoo asked what was going on with his gaze but Sunggyu shook his head, deeming it to not have any importance. He took hold of his best friend’s hand and pulled him away from the rest of the group.

“I wanna sing.”

“ Noreabang ?” his pink haired friend caught on fast, “Then let’s tell everyo—”

“No!” he tugged the other’s arm before he left, “Just us. I’m stressing,” he pleaded.

Dongwoo bit his bottom lip, contemplating the idea and eventually gave in. He couldn’t resist Sunggyu’s natural cuteness, much less when his lips formed that very small pout that made him look like a little boy.

“How are we escaping?”

“Don’t make any sudden movements…” Sunggyu advised before pulling the pink haired male into the throng of students that were finally making their way home.

 

 

**_Yeunja_**  
_Gyu_ _!_ _Where are you?_

**_Hyun_**  
_W_ _here did you go?_

**_Hoya_**  
_Did you just ditch us?_  
_Hey_ _!_  
_You answer me now before I tell your mom you were kidnapped and she calls the police!_  
_Guys seriously_  
_One of you has to answer_  
_Heyyyyyy_ _!_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_We’re fine_  
_Just tell my mom we’ll be home later_

The red head placed the phone on the table, deciding to ignore the messages that kept popping up on the screen for the time being. He just finished his session of singing as loud as he could and he could already feel his throat complaining. It was a while since he let loose like that and it felt really good.

_Maybe I know somewhere_  
_Deep in my soul_  
_That love never lasts_

He was singing along with Dongwoo again anyway. His voice was going to be wrecked later but he couldn’t bring himself to care. The rooms provided two microphones, so might as well put them to use.

_And I’ve always lived like this_  
_Keeping a comfortable distance_  
_And up until now I have sworn to myself_  
_That I’m content with loneliness_

_ Because none of it was ever worth the risk _

_ Well you are the only exception _

 

 

“There is no way we’re gonna be able to hide this,” Sunggyu said, clearing his throat when he heard his voice crack unattractively.

Dongwoo laughed, “Well, we already went, not like they can do anything about that.”

“We should do this again with everyone else. I want to hear if Hoya has improved,” the red head mused.

“You’re such a liar. You wanna hear Woohyun, don’t you?” the shorter male asked, giving the other a playful push.

Sunggyu simply laughed, “Of course! But I don’t think I need another reason to like him… I hope he’s bad at it. I’ve always said I’d want someone who could sing with me.”

“Maybe he’ll be the one…”

The red head let out a small sound, one of disbelief, “Woohyun… that kid… I hate that he makes me feel like this.”

Dongwoo didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. He understood his best friend completely and he knew exactly what he was talking about, “It’s okay… It’s not that bad after you get used to it.”

“Eyy, no way. You’re just saying this now because of yesterday!” Sunggyu teased.

Dongwoo giggled lightly, not being able to deny the claim but his smile quickly turned sad.

“I’m glad he’s hanging out with us again but… I kind of wish he hadn’t,” he let his long fingers rest against his chest, rubbing it lightly, “It’s starting to hurt here.”

Sunggyu’s smile faded as he sighed. He watched the other’s expression. He looked sorrowful and conflicted. The red head couldn’t say anything to comfort him. He didn’t know what could be said. So he simply took the other’s hand and interlocked their fingers, giving him a slight reassuring squeeze before continuing on.

It wasn’t long before Sunggyu’s home came into view. Their friends were sitting outside on the porch. He could see his sisters sitting out there as well. They were crowded around the porch swing.

“Look! Gyu is back!” Jinho yelled excitedly when she saw Sunggyu and Dongwoo approaching.

That definitely drew everyone’s attention. Of course, Hoya was the one to make a big deal out of everything.

“Hey! What is this?” he gestured to their intertwined hands, “How could you! You went on a date without me? I thought we were together!” he exclaimed as he gestured to the two of them and himself.

“Ugh! This is why we didn’t take you! You’re nagging us already! I don’t think this is gonna work,” Sunggyu said, shooing the man with his hand.

“Are you breaking up…?! Hey! Dongwoo! How can you let this happen?”

But Dongwoo was of no help, again. He was too busy giggling at their bickering and all he could do was shake his head and raise his hands in an attempt to get away from having to do anything. Sunggyu glanced up to see how Woohyun was taking the entire ordeal. He would usually jump in as well just to playfully bicker about not being included in their ‘relationship.’ He unconsciously squeezed Dongwoo’s hand when he saw who he was with.

Hoya noticed the red head’s attention deviated and he remembered that he was talking to someone beforehand.

“Ah, recognize him?” Hoya asked.

Of course Sunggyu recognized him. It was Lee Junho.


	12. Nosy Sisters

They locked gazes for a moment and the male graced him with his handsome eye smile. He felt a sudden ball of anxiety form in the pit of his stomach. He really was serious.

“Who’s that?” Dongwoo asked him, noticing how tense the taller male got suddenly.

“Ah shit…,” he murmured under his breath.

“Dongwoo! Sunggyu!” the new face greeted as he approached them with Woohyun and Myungsoo.

“Hi Junho,” Sunggyu greeted with a small smile.

“Junho?!” Dongwoo exclaimed, in shock.

“Oh! How did you do that?” Hoya asked, “I couldn’t recognize him until he told me!”

“We saw each other a couple of weeks ago…,” he explained.

He blocked out the greetings and exclamations of how much he changed from Dongwoo, instead focusing all his attention to his thoughts.

_How am I supposed to answer him?!_ _I don’t want him to take it the wrong way though… and I_ _have no real reason to say_ _no…_ He let his attention move to the handsome male that was laughing along with his other two friends. _Yeah, I can’t_ _bring myself to_ _say no… he’s really handsome…_

“Are you okay?” he heard a familiar voice ask him and he turned to look at the junior.

“I’m fine,” he said with a smile. Ironically enough, the face of the other helped him make his decision.

_ At least you have a chance with this one _ , he told himself as he turned to look at Junho again.

It unsettled Sunggyu to see the younger male so calm when he himself couldn’t concentrate on anything that was being said for more than a moment. He avoided meeting his gaze for the most part, but he couldn't help catching it every once in a while and he would hate the fluttering he'd feel in his stomach. How was it possible for Junho to take over his mind like that?

He was jolted out of his thoughts when his phone started ringing. It was odd, considering he couldn't pin the ringtone to anyone in his contact list. It made sense when he checked the screen. Jinki rarely called him.

"Hello?”

"Sunggyu! Junho, is Junho there?"

The brunet sounded very worried over the phone. He glanced at the male in question.

"Yeah he is. He's been here all afternoon, I think."

"Ah that little...! Can you please put him on the phone? We've been worried sick because he won't answer our messages or calls!"

"You should have called earlier," Sunggyu said before turning to lightly glare at the guest, "Junho, it's for you. Jinki doesn't sound happy."

Junho's smile faltered before a guilty expression took over his features, "I'll take it over there."

It was nearing half past seven and they were all still sitting outside on the porch talking and playing around. The red head was going to hand him the phone, at least until he noticed the other went off the porch and was waiting for him to follow.

That did not sit well with him.

After glancing around at everyone, he got up and followed after him. They walked a little ways away towards the sidewalk. Sunggyu had every intention of handing him the phone and hurrying back. He wasn’t ready to give him the answer. He was too nervous.

His plan was thrown to the wind, however, when Junho took hold of his forearm and held him in place as he took the phone.

“Hello?”

He tried to tug it away once but the other only held him in place, his grip getting firmer. He turned to look at everyone on the porch and hoped that they would call him over but no one even turned to look at them.

He didn’t listen to the one sided conversation. The apologies, sheepish laughs, and excuses didn’t reach his ears. He could only feel the other’s thumb graze slowly over the sensitive skin of the underside of his wrist, calmly and repeatedly. It made Sunggyu shiver and a warm feeling began to take over his body.

The action seemed really intimate and he was never handled like that before even if it was a small, maybe even insignificant, gesture. Unbeknown to his own conscious, he found himself enjoying the slight intimacy it provided. The call ended before he knew it and Junho was yelling over at the others.

“I have to go! It was nice seeing you all!” he bowed with the other’s hand still in his grip, “Sunggyu said he’ll walk with me halfway.”

 

 

It was silent for most of the walk. Junho let go of the older male’s forearm not long after their departure. Sunggyu kept glancing at the other, wondering if he was going to bring up what he was dreading. However they reached the corner of the street that Jinki lived in and the younger male didn’t say a word. He wasn’t sure if what he was feeling was disappointment or relief at that point.

“I’ll leave you here. See you later,” the red head said before turning around.

“H ey , wait.”

He reprimanded himself for letting a smile grace his lips at that moment before composing himself and turning around.

“Yeah?”

“You  _ know _ why I was there…”

“Jinki said you wanted to apologize…”

There was a moment of silence between them before Junho lowered his gaze, “Is that what you really want me to do?”

“I… No… You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Another moment of silence filled the air and Sunggyu was unsure of what was next. His gaze was on his hands as he played with his fingers. He organized his thoughts quickly before speaking. It was clear that the younger male was waiting.

“Saying yes doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be in a relationship, right?” he asked.

“It could if you want it to,” the other answered.

“Ah, no that’s-that’s not what I meant,” he smiled nervously.

They were standing just a few feet away from a lamp post. It was still rather bright outside.

“I mean…” he scoured his thoughts in order to put them in a coherent sentence, “I hope you know that… saying yes doesn’t automatically make us an item. I’ll give you a chance but that doesn’t mean that we’re going out as of this instant.”

Junho tilted his head to the side, the small smile on his lips widening as he spoke his next sentence, “Are you asking to be taken out on dates?”

Sunggyu floundered about for a second or two, his face heating up after hearing it like that.

“Well… not, uh… y-yes. I guess… I’m saying you’ll have to court me like anyone else!”

Junho had a big smile on his lips, “Court? I didn’t know you were such a romantic, Sunggyu.”

“I-I’m not! It’s just… for a lack of a better word. But isn’t it normal that way? I wouldn’t feel comfortable randomly dating a guy I don’t really know.”

“But—”

“You may be the same person,” Sunggyu said, interrupting the other, “but you’ve changed so much. I’d like to get to know this Junho that’s in front of me right now before we move on to anything else.”

Junho bit his bottom lip before nodding and smiling at the senior, “You’re going to have to brace yourself,  Sunggyu,  ‘ c ause you’re gonna fall for me.”

Sunggyu let out a loud laugh, “Confidence is attractive,” he acquiesced.

“I’m already gaining points? I move fast,” he joked, “So, um… can I have your number?”

That caught the senior by surprise. It was his turn to bite his bottom lip but it was all for show. He made up his mind rather quickly. He hummed in thought, tapping his plump lips with an index finger before smiling at the younger male.

“No.”

“ Really? ”

“You’ll have to earn that too,” he waved his goodbye before leaving.

He couldn’t help the smile on his lips as he walked away. _Well, that didn’t go so bad…_

 

 

**_Hyun_**  
_Did you get lost?_  
_You’ve been gone a while_

**_Donggie_**  
_Gyu hurry up!_ _We started playing without you!_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Sorry I’m on my way back_

 

 

“Well someone looks happy,” Yeunja commented when she saw her brother walk into their home with a completely different expression than before.

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t walk all the way home with a big smile on his lips. Maybe his love life was starting to fall into place.

“Did he kiss you goodnight?” Haneul teased next, earning giggles from his sisters and chuckles from the guys.

The red head settled with giving his older sister a glare before taking a seat next to Dongwoo who was situated on the floor of the living room. They moved the couches further back to leave the area around the coffee table free. It seemed like they were playing Jenga this time around.

“Behave,” Mrs. Kim reprimanded as she set a plate of snacks on the table.

“Sorry,” the oldest sister apologized with a smile, only sorry for being overheard.

Sunggyu ignored all of it, turning his attention to the pink haired male beside him. He leaned in and covered his lips as he whispered to the other.

“I need to talk to you later.”

His best friend turned to him, “So something  _ did _ happen?”

“Something like that…,” the other answered vaguely.

“You can’t tell me right now?” he asked, curiosity taking over.

Sunggyu shook his head as he glanced around, “Too many people.”

Dongwoo pouted, his curiosity was peaked and now he needed to wait until later to get the full scoop. He had a feeling it definitely involved Junho. The strange conversation that happened a couple of weeks ago with Jinki and Sunggyu in the cafeteria left him wondering what all that was about. Sunggyu only explained it as a misunderstanding on Jinki’s part but didn’t elaborate. That was strange itself. He did overhear them mention Jinki’s cousin earlier in the day, before being dragged out to noraebang, but he hadn’t been able to listen in any further when Sunggyu pulled him away.

His best friend was hiding something from him and he figured that’s what he wanted to talk about. How could Sunggyu expect him to sit happily after figuring that out?

“Sunggyu, honey, choose your partner,” his mom called out to the red head.

He took Dongwoo’s hand and raised it, “Got him.”

“We’re playing in pairs?” Choonyei asked, already pinning for the younger Nam brother.

“Why?” Yeunja asked.

“So you can blame each other when you lose,” their mom answered with a smile.

“Mom, just ‘cause you’re really bad at this game doesn’t mean you can blame it on Dad,” Haneul scolded.

 

 

“I think he’s mad…,” Dongwoo said worriedly.

His phone was in his hand and he was debating whether he should text Hoya or not. The game finished about half an hour before. Woohyun and Hoya paired up together and ended up losing quite a number of times. Dongwoo and Sunggyu weren’t kind to the two. The two best friends went right before the two athletic ones. That wasn’t what he was talking about though.

After all the commotion died down and it grew later in the day, they decided to end the game. Hoya offered to walk Dongwoo half-way home at least but the pink haired male refused him, telling him that he was going to spend the night. His gaze shifted to meet Sunggyu’s, who nodded his head in affirmation, and after a small moment he turned around, not bothering with bidding them goodbye. Woohyun only gave them a quick wave before leaving as well, Myungsoo being the only one mannered enough to say goodbye properly.

“He’s hurt,” Sunggyu acknowledged as he sat on his bed cross-legged, “Because we didn’t offer him to stay. But we can’t talk about these things with him around.”

A small silence took over the room that was only illuminated by a lamp next to the bed.

“At this rate, we’re only going to push him away from us. He’s supposed to be our friend, when are we telling him?” the red head asked, seeking some kind of answer from his shorter friend.

Dongwoo diverted his gaze down to his hands, his fingers playing with the ring accessories he liked to wear, not offering any kind of advice or input on the matter. It only made Sunggyu sigh sadly. He could understand where his pink-haired friend was coming from. It was probably more nerve wrecking for Dongwoo because there was always that possibility that telling Hoya the truth could, ultimately, push him away completely… and Dongwoo didn’t want that. He didn’t want to drive him away.

There was a sudden knock on the bedroom door, “Are you decent?” came a muffled voice.

Sunggyu knit his brows together in confusion, “Who the hell says that anymore?” he asked, recognizing the voice as Haneul’s.

“Me! I’m opening the door,” she pushed it open to see both guys sitting a little broodingly, one on the bed and the other on the sleeping bag.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as she stepped in.

Yeunja came in after her and closed the door behind her, “I sense depression.”

Sunggyu scoffed lightly at her words.

“Well, we’re here to ruin this wonderful mood of yours,” Haneul stated as she took a seat on the bed next to the red head, “Ah, I need to give you a touch up. Your roots are really starting to show,” she commented offhandedly as she parted her brother’s hair, checking here and there.

A small silence fell in the room and Yeunja broke down first.

“What’s the deal with Junho?”

Dongwoo turned to look at her, giving her a look that pretty much asked why she didn’t posses any tact in asking things. Yeah he was really curious too but he wasn’t going to ask like that. Yeunja could only shrug her shoulders apologetically. At least the question was up in the air and he didn’t have to force it out of the other.

“She’s asking,” Haneul gave her a light glare before withdrawing her hands from his hair, “because he asked for you as soon as he got here.”

“And then when you left to walk with him, you took your time…” Yeunja added.

Dongwoo could only nod. He noticed a few things as well, like how Sunggyu tensed and how he was really fidgety the whole time the male was there. Not to mention how completely different he looked when he walked into the house after walking him home. He could sense something happened without a doubt.

“Why are you guys so damn nosy?” Sunggyu asked, a little irritated.

It wasn’t something he wanted to talk to his sisters about. Yeah they were siblings, but that didn’t mean he wanted to relay every single detail of his life to them. He didn’t ask of it from them so he didn’t see why he _needed_ to.

“Well it’s a little strange to see this random guy come and ask for you, you know? Of course we want to know!” Yeunja exclaimed, “Especially one as handsome as that! He probably heard you had sisters and came to check us out, right?” The younger sister teased, trying to lighten her brother’s mood.

He let out a slight scoff again, “Right, because he’d come all the way from Ilsan just to see my sisters.”

“Holy… that’s a long way from here!”

“You mean he doesn’t live here in Jeolla?” Haneul asked.

“No…” he answered.

“I think we need to be properly introduced,” Yeunja said happily.

Sunggyu felt his stomach sink to the floor. Of course Yeunja would like him right off the bat. He couldn’t exactly blame her. He was eye-candy in his own right, just a tad bit different than Woohyun but not entirely so. He sighed, his expression turning solemn.

Now  there was no choice but to tell them.

“He’s…,” he sighed again before turning his attention to his hands on his lap, “He’s  interested in me .”


	13. Nam Brothers

“What?!” his sisters exclaimed.

Dongwoo’s eyes widened, almost immediately understanding and piecing things together .

Junho was interested in Sunggyu!

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Yeunja asked in a high pitched voice, “How can he be gay?!”

“Apparently he’s always been  interested in me .”

“Sunggyu, you are one lucky bastard,” Haneul said as she crossed her arms.

She was shocked and a little bit jealous over her younger brother. How was he pulling in all of these handsome, sexy boys to him? It’s not that she didn’t have any luck. She was simply astonished at the fact that these guys were falling onto the red head’s lap.

“So… he asked you out, right? That’s why you were all happy earlier, right?” the younger sister asked.

“No, we’re just friends…”

“For now,” Haneul stated with a smirk, “But you’d be a fool to not pay him any attention. He seems like a good catch.”

“I’m going to forever be jealous of my own brother,” Yeunja stated miserably before realizing something, “Wait so what about…?” she left the question hanging in the air as she glanced at Dongwoo, wondering if the other knew about it.

“Woohyun?” the pink haired male asked, catching the girl’s caution.

“Woohyun is n ’t an option ,” Sunggyu said simply, “He’s all yours.”

Haneul creased her brows, not liking that at all. She glanced down at the two on the floor. They raised their brows, not understanding why Sunggyu was saying that. The older sister sighed before taking a deep breath.

“I think you misunderstood, Gyu. Yeah these kids are cute but… they’re still kids. I’m not exactly into high schoolers. I figured you’d know this by now,” she explained, hoping he’d get it through his thick skull.

All her past boyfriends were older than her, all of them with no exception. She never mentioned anything about liking Woohyun even though she did admit that he was handsome and cute and every other adjective that could be used to describe him. But just like everyone else, she also had a right to admire cute guys no matter what age.

“That still doesn’t change one major factor.”

“He’s straight,” they all said in unison, rolling their eyes at the red head’s stubborn mind.

His younger sister stood up, quickly followed by the brunette, “I think you should give this guy a chance. I don’t think you’d be losing anything. It’s worth a shot,” Haneul suggested, making her way towards the door.

“Hey… have you guys told Hoya… about…?” Yeunja made a gesture, pointing to both boys.

“About our preferences? No.”

“Isn’t he your best friend?” she asked.

“We’ll figure something out. Stop sticking your nose in our business,” Sunggyu reprimanded, shooing the girl away with a hand gesture.

“Pssh, fine. Be that way, jerk,” she said a little haughtily before following her older sister out of the room and closing the door behind her.

The red head rolled his eyes before letting himself fall back against his many pillows. He felt the bed shift and he knew that Dongwoo was now sitting on it.

“So… was that all?” his friend asked tentatively.

Sunggyu let out a small laugh, “It doesn’t seem  like  enough for you?”

The pink haired male let out a small laugh too, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then…?”

“Are you giving up on Woohyun?”

Sunggyu groaned, “I was never chasing after him!” he stated stubbornly.

Dongwoo dismissed the little outburst, “You still like him, right?”

The red head didn’t answer.

“…I think… you should give Junho a chance.”

Brown eyes met each other and Sunggyu sat up, wondering why he was giving him that piece of advice.

“I think that’s better than ending up like me and Hoya… with nothing.”

Sunggyu felt his stomach twist into a knot, a sadness filling him as he took in his friend’s sad expression. Dongwoo was only looking out for him. He wished there was a way to take his friend’s pain away.

“Woo…” he called out, not liking the expression on his friend at all, “You can’t be sure of that,” he reached out, taking both hands with his, hoping to quell the sudden emotions that he could see were building up in the other.

He shook his head, his soft hair bouncing with the motion, “I’m not stupid. I always knew this couldn’t go further than where it is already but…” his voice broke and the tears began to fall from his eyes. He tried to hold back a sob but it managed to get through his lips, “I didn’t think... I’d be in this deep.”

“Dongwoo…” Sunggyu tried to soothe him but in the end he pulled him towards his chest, wrapping his arms tight around his best friend. He felt the tears prick at his eyes and it wasn’t long before he was crying, the tears silently gliding down his skin along with his friend’s.

“It hurts so much Gyu,” the other said between his sobs, breaking Sunggyu’s heart even more.

The worst part was the fact that he couldn’t be mad at anybody. It wasn’t Dongwoo’s fault, it wasn’t Hoya’s fault either.

They stayed that way for a few moments, Sunggyu’s tears stopping before Dongwoo’s. The shorter male pulled away when he felt he could show the other his face without looking so pathetic. He wiped his tears away none too gently but he gave the other an embarrassed smile.

“Sorry,” he said, a small chuckle escaping him, “I thought I could hold it together.”

“You’ve been holding it together for too long,” Sunggyu said, tapping the other under the chin playfully.

“Well, all sentimental crap aside,” he pink haired male stated, “I think Junho deserves a chance, no? I think you deserve a chance too,” he sniffed, “Did you really say no to him though?”

“Um… yes and no?”

Dongwoo’s brow rose in question, “Meaning…?”

“I practically told him to make me want to date him.”

“You mean you don’t want to?” his friend asked incredulously.

“ Hey ,” Sunggyu said seriously, “Do you want me to come off as desperate?” causing Dongwoo to break out into a fit of giggles.

Sunggyu only smiled as he watched him, “Do I look desperate to you? Would you rather see me clinging to his arm obnoxiously like Park Gyuri would? Don’t men usually say they like a challenge anyway?”

 

 

“Something’s bugging you,” Woohyun stated as he reached the male that was heading home already.

Woohyun noticed that the other left without uttering a word and Hoya wasn’t usually that kind of person.

“I’m fine,” he said, not bothering to cover the lie with a smile.

“You’re jealous?” Woohyun asked as he jogged to catch up to him, turning his body when he reached him and walking backwards, forcing the older male to stop.

“Jealous?”

“That they went out without you today… I thought you guys were close friends. Why would they ditch you like that?”

Hoya took a deep breath as he looked away, unsure of how he should answer that. He understood that he was at fault for neglecting them most of their high school years. He moved on to his teammates by the end of freshman year. He enjoyed playing soccer and that occupied his mind. He didn’t have a need for constantly hanging out with Sunggyu and Dongwoo anymore.

It still hurt that they would exclude him from their plans so obviously like that. He was making an effort again at the expense of ditching his other friends.

He realized, however, that it was just a completely different atmosphere with Sunggyu and Dongwoo. They joked around with him, they gave him meaningful advice, they helped him study, they included him in their family and there was always that familiarity and comfort when he was with them. He’d known them since elementary. He didn’t have to force out his tough, no-nonsense side when he was with them. He could tell them anything.

So it hurt when they blatantly pushed him aside, when they didn’t consider him for things a little more intimate than hanging out with a bunch of friends, like they just  did .

“I was thinking we were close… I guess I was wrong,” he said and shrugged, “Haven’t you ever had close friends like that?”

Woohyun shrugged, “Yeah there was someone… but that was way back in elementary school. We’ve been moving all over Korea for quite some time now.”

Hoya tilted his head to the side, knitting his brows together, “Really? What do your parents do?”

“They’re in real estate. They like moving into high class areas like these to check the market and the neighborhoods… We must have a house at least in every province.”

Hoya couldn’t keep the look of surprise from his features when he heard that. He was astounded but Woohyun laughed and he gave him a look.

“Well almost in every province… they really like their job.”

“Why didn’t you stay with your grandparents or something? It must be really hard for the both of you to keep on adjusting to a new school every time,” he asked.

It wasn’t that it didn’t occur to anyone. His maternal grandmother insisted she let them stay with her so that they could study comfortably without any more building stress. Woohyun refused such a thing. He told his mother to not leave them, that he would run away if she even considered it.

The idea of moving around and being in different places excited Woohyun. He didn’t want to stay in one place. He wanted to experience what it was that was outside his hometown. He didn’t want to stay cooped up in the same place while his parents traveled all over South Korea.

It was a childish and selfish wish. He found that out the hard way, but he was too stubborn to ask his parents to just go ahead and take both of them back. It wasn’t so much for his sake, but Myungsoo slowly became less and less sociable, shrinking into himself every time they entered a new school.

Woohyun wanted to meet new people. He wanted to make new friends but he didn’t consider what Myungsoo wanted. Of course his younger brother would follow him. He didn’t want to be left alone.

“What kid doesn’t want to travel around?” he asked instead.

Hoya nodded, understanding the simple logic.

“I haven’t had a best friend since my last year in elementary and, to be honest, this is the first time I’ve seen Myungsoo so relaxed around people… I kinda like it here too.”

“Could it have something to with one particular  sister ?” Hoya asked, his lips stretching into a teasing smile.

“Maybe,” the other answered suspiciously.

The senior laughed, “Don’t let Sunggyu hear you or he’ll skin you alive.”

Woohyun only laughed before answering, “Nah… It’s the first time I’ve made friends like this too. So _friend_ , wanna spend the night?”

“You’re not gonna try anything funny, are you?” Hoya asked, raising a brow questioningly.

“Not unless you want me to,” the other answered easily, giving him a playfully suggestive wiggling brow.

Hoya could only laugh out loud at his friend.

 

 

Sunggyu found himself awake at eight in the morning that Saturday, again. He figured it was his internal clock waking him up for school even though they now had a month off. He peeked down at Dongwoo who was still fast asleep. He tried to find a comfortable position to drift off into sleep again but in the end, ended up staring at the ceiling.

He sighed as he sat up, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. He made his way off the bed and stepped carefully around Dongwoo before reaching his balcony doors. He never locked them, since he was up on the second floor, and very quietly slid it open. It was his morning routine, even when he went to school, to step outside every morning and stretch comfortably, taking in the smell of a fresh morning that smelled of watered grass, and damp earth, feeling the fresh breeze, if any, as it caressed his warm skin.

He would usually see both brothers already out and about in the backyard, if not stretching then working out on the exercise machines they assembled out on the backyard patio. He could only see the one where they would lift weights. It wasn’t every day but sometimes two or three times a week. He had to say, he definitely admired their dedication.

It was almost like Woohyun was waiting for him. The moment he stepped out the other was already outside, staring up at the balcony. Sunggyu caught sight of him and sent him a small smile to which the other returned wordlessly before moving to stretch his body, reaching up high above him.

The red head felt a yawn building up and he turned away to face the street. What he saw made him nearly choke mid-yawn.

Woohyun chuckled lightly at the other’s odd behavior. He could hear the coughs pretty clearly. It wasn’t until he saw the red head wave that he decided to take a peek.

“Oh, it’s that Junho guy…,” he mumbled to himself.

He was smiling warmly up at Sunggyu, giving him a playful wink before continuing on his morning jog.

_ The guy must live nearby _ , he thought as he looked up, returning his attention to the red head.

Sunggyu was smiling, his eyes nearly slits as he watched him jog away from his line of sight. Was he that happy to see the guy so early in the morning? He watched as a sigh escaped the senior’s lips before he turned back around, shooting Woohyun a different kind of smile before returning back inside.

_ What was that about? _ The junior wondered.

“Isn’t it too early to be choking?” Dongwoo asked, his voice heavily slurred, when he heard the other close the door behind him.

“It’s too early to be awake too, go back to sleep,” he tried to reprimand.

He crawled his way onto his bed again and got comfortable, throwing the covers over himself again and cocooning his body in the warmth. He closed his eyes for a little while but in the end ended up staring off into nothing. Dongwoo completely woke up as well and was simply laying there.

“What are you thinking about?” the pink haired male finally asked, propping his head up.

Sunggyu released a long sigh, “Lee Junho…”

Dongwoo’s brows rose at that.

“I think I _will_ give him a chance… What do I have to lose, right?” he asked his friend, offering him a smile, “But, first things first. What are we doing about Hoya?”


	14. Dongwoo's Worries

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Hey, do you think you can get a hold of Hoya?_  
_We’ve been messaging him but he won’t answer me or Dongwoo_

**_Hyun_**  
_He’s here with me_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Your place?_

**_Hyun_**  
_Yeah_

**_Hyun_**  
_You guys apologizing?_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_… yeah_

**_Hyun_**  
_Good luck_

 

It wasn’t ten minutes after that last message was sent when Woohyun heard the doorbell ring. He was preparing a late breakfast. Their workout session lasted a little longer than anticipated (a little bit of ‘anything you can do I can do better’ …and longer, took place). Time breezed by for the two older males until Myungsoo went out to complain that he was hungry. It passed nine in the morning at the time. Woohyun quickly scrambled upstairs to take a shower first before heading back down to start breakfast. He was in the middle of cooking some sausages along with some bacon and eggs. He wanted to put a little more thought into it but he didn’t have time. At least he got Myungsoo to put some biscuits to bake in the oven the moment he went for his shower.

“Myungsoo!” he yelled as he heard the doorbell ring for the second time.

He didn’t get a response. He silently cursed under his breath when it rang again.

“Myungsoo!!” he tried again, yet he still didn’t get a response.

The doorbell rang again and he cursed again only louder before lowering the flame on the griddle and pan. He quickly rushed to the front door, yelling Myungsoo’s name as he opened the door. He was met with his neighbor and the best friend.

“Oh, hey guys. Come in,” the junior jogged backwards towards the stairs before taking hold of the railing, “Hoya! Myungsoo! What the heck are you guys doing up there!”

“Damn Woohyun. You sound like my mom,” they heard Hoya’s distinct voice come from the top of the stairs.

“Ugh, whatever,” the teen answered before making his way back to the kitchen, “I’m never inviting you to stay over again!” He left the two newcomers standing awkwardly in the foyer.

“Do we just go in…?” Sunggyu whispered to his friend.

Dongwoo only shrugged and shook his head. So they opted to remain awkwardly in the foyer. They heard steps going down the stairs and they froze, wondering if they’d be running into the Nam’s. Who they saw didn’t exactly ease their tense bodies.

It was Hoya with Myungsoo at his heels.

“Oh, hey guys,” the younger greeted, “Why are you both standing there…? Did Woohyun not invite you in?”

“He did invite us in but… we kinda need to talk to Hoya.”

The athletic male sighed and crossed his arms, giving the two a skeptical look. His expression changed dramatically when he saw his two friends kneel in front of him.

“H-hey, what are you guys doing…?!”

“We’re sorry about what happened yesterday. Please accept this gift.”

It was ridiculous how formal it sounded but it was perhaps even more ridiculous to see two men on their knees holding out a flower as a token of an apology.

It was a single stem but the stem held a very bountiful amount of flowers on their end. They were a mixture of red and white and star shaped. A smaller star formed in the center of the flowers.

“Hoyas for Hoya,” Dongwoo stated.

Myungsoo cracked up first. His laughter fit the ridiculous atmosphere.

“Hoyas… really?” Hoya asked, a big smile on his lips, but he managed to keep it from getting onto his voice. The two males held their heads down and weren’t looking at him.

“You think flowers will work on me?”

Sunggyu looked up, a scowl on his face, “Do you know we cut these from my mom’s garden? Do you realize I’m not living past today because of it?”

Hoya laughed as he took both bunches of flowers, “Because of your brave sacrifice, I shall accept them.”

“Oh!” Sunggyu yelled dramatically, “The great Ho-God has forgiven us! Dongwoo!” he turned to his friend and hugged him, “We shall live because of the Ho-God!”

Dongwoo was in his usual fit of giggles at seeing Sunggyu acting so dramatically. Myungsoo was laughing too. Myungsoo didn’t exactly see anything as dramatic as that between the three friends (even though Hoya and Sunggyu seemed to enjoy being dramatic with each other). It was too funny.

Sunggyu stood with a bit of difficulty. Dongwoo was clinging onto him as he giggled like a maniac.

“Thank you, God of Ho’s,” Sunggyu said with a triumphant smirk before walking past him and leaving a giggling Dongwoo and a laughing Myungsoo behind.

“ The hell !”

 

 

“You guys sound a lot better today,” Woohyun commented as he took a biscuit from the basket in the middle of the island.

“It sounded like both of you were going through puberty again,” Hoya laughed.

They were all sitting around the kitchen island. Sunggyu and Dongwoo watched the other three eat. They already ate breakfast. The red head only smiled as he rested both elbows on the table.

“Myungsoo’s voice still cracks,” Woohyun said, earning a glare from his brother.

“What? No way. But you don’t speak much…,” Dongwoo leaned in to get a look at the younger male who only gave him a look.

“Well then let’s all go to  noraebang today,” Sunggyu suggested, hoping to make amends for yesterday.

“No can do. I’ve actually got plans today,” Hoya said as he finished his food.

“Are you going out to play?” Dongwoo asked as he stole a biscuit.

The male got up and placed the used utensils in the sink, “Yeah. The guys have been restless since we haven’t been required to attend practice much…perks of being in the varsity team.”

Sunggyu rolled his eyes. Hoya was clearly tooting his own horn but he let it slide. No one seemed to have taken much notice of his words anyway.

“Well then us four can go,” Sunggyu suggested before drinking the last bit of the smoothie Woohyun prepared for him especially.

He made a container full of a weird orange colored smoothie and gave each of them a bit of it. Hoya made a fuss about it, complaining about favoritism when Woohyun saw the face Sunggyu made and quickly took it away. He then asked if he liked berries, to which the senior responded favorably. He wasn’t sure what was in it but the taste was delicious.

“You… you are too good at this,” Sunggyu commented as he placed the glass down on the island.

Dongwoo giggled, “They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

“Don’t trip over yourselves guys. There’s plenty of Woohyun to go around,” the junior said jokingly as he picked up the plates.

“Ah, now I see why you’re good friends with Howon,” Sunggyu nodded gravely, as if finally piecing things together.

“Howon…? That’s your name?!” Woohyun asked as he turned to look at the athletic senior.

“Yeah…?”

“… Hoya isn’t your real name…?” Myungsoo asked, confused by the sudden information.

There wasn’t a single time when they called him by anything other than Hoya (or whore but that was neither here nor there), so to realize that his name was so formal sounding... it left them feeling a little disoriented.

“Howon…” Woohyun tried the name, making said male flinch at the sound of it.

No one called him by that name usually, not even his own parents. The only people allowed to call him that were teachers and even then it was rare.

“Lee Howon,” Dongwoo supplied helpfully, giggling at the incredulous look he got from his friend. “Howonnie, Howonnie, Howonnie,” he said quickly, continuing his taunting.

Hoya got up suddenly, the stool he was sitting on tipping over dangerously and almost falling if Sunggyu didn’t steady it. His face clearly indicated slow torture when his attention turned to the lighthearted friend. Dongwoo saw this and quickly took off, Sunggyu miraculously saving the furniture from tumbling to the ground as Hoya ran past him.

Sunggyu laughed lightly, “He’s not gonna make it.”

Almost exactly after, they all heard Dongwoo’s desperate yell before even more loud giggles filled the house.

Sunggyu sighed dramatically, “He never gets away.”

Somehow, after all that commotion, it was decided that they were all going to tag along with Hoya. Woohyun insisted that one lazy friend needed more exercise and that playing sports would help more than singing until puberty hit them again. He then proceeded to remind him of the tag game they played a little while ago. Sunggyu could only huff at the memory.

So what if he wasn’t in shape! He knew his laziness was cute! He was told so by many girls, although…he’d rather not tell that to anyone. They’d probably laugh at him. They were only halfway to the school grounds and already he could feel the sweat starting to go down his back. The days were getting hotter and hotter and he’d rather spend his time inside reading a book or playing video games or even sleep!

Sweating it out just taking a walk wasn’t in his ideal vacation relaxation time even if it was probably something those three muscle heads would do with a smile any day.

“I hope you guys realize I’m not lifting a finger today, right?” Sunggyu asked.

Even if he was going, that didn’t mean he was playing. He’d collapse from a heat stroke within five minutes. He just knew.

“You’re playing for half an hour before I let you take a rest,” Woohyun stated over his shoulder, giving the male a look.

Sunggyu only whined in complaint. Myungsoo chuckled.

“I’ll buy you some ice cream later,  Sunggyu .”

“Ice cream?” he perked up before hurrying up to the youngest of them all and slinging an arm around his shoulder, “How can the youngest take care of the me so well? Okay, promise!” he offered the male his pinky to which he took and sealed the deal, “This is why you’re my favorite!”

There was a smile on Myungsoo’s lips as he heard the senior compliment him. He liked hearing that.

“Hey! But you told me I was your favorite!” Woohyun whined.

“That was then, this is now.”

“But you said that to me a little while ago!”

“Aish, details,” the other waved him off.

Hoya threw an arm over Woohyun’s shoulder, “It’s okay. He’s the kind to use pretty words until he gets what he wants. He’s a spoiled brat.”

“And you’re an ass,” the red head shot back at him before reaching out for Dongwoo who was observing it all quietly with a smile.

He intertwined their fingers as they walked. He linked his arm with Myungsoo’s and they continued walking. Myungsoo was a little uncomfortable by the sudden action, not entirely used to being in close contact with other people.

“Who’s the  ho now, huh?” Hoya asked.

 

 

There was already a small crowd when they reached the school’s practice grounds. The red head recognized most of the guys there. They were the school’s star soccer players. Some of Jinki’s friends were there too.

“Hoya!”

“You finally made it!”

They waved their friend over so they let him jog to them as they stayed a little behind.

“You didn’t bring your bike today?” the red head saw it was Jonghyun that asked.

The simple question attracted all eyes to the small group that hung back.

“Nah, walking was a better warm up,” Woohyun answered with a friendly smile.

“If you’re gonna play, come on!” he called them over.

The brothers made their way over but the other two simply shook their heads no. Hoya didn’t urge them to join and for that they were grateful.

“Jinki should be here in a little while!” Jonghyun called out to the male.

“Okay!” he answered before turning his attention to the provided bleachers.

Those were out in the sun and provided no kind of shelter from its strong rays. He wasn’t going to be playing but he wasn’t going to sit at such a hot place willingly. Besides, he didn’t want to get a tan. After debating for a couple of minutes they both decided to sit under the shades of the trees that were off to the left side of the goal. The grass was impeccably green, despite the heat that would have it turning a golden brown if not properly taken care of.

They watched as the guys discussed the rules before they began to set up cones as make-shift goals on the touchlines (side boundary lines).

“Jinki’s coming, eh?” Dongwoo questioned,  too innocent-like.

He was wearing a small smirk as he leaned back against the trunk of the small tree. His eyes followed a certain senior as he moved about before moving to the only junior on the field. They were picking teams.

The continued to watch as Hoya and Minhyuk, another senior that was also a varsity player, made pick after pick. There were nine of them out in the sun in total. There were more people scattered about under the shades of the trees. He could see Kibum and Taemin, more of Jinki’s friends, sitting under the tree next to them. He waved at them as they came into view. He didn’t really know anyone else.

“Do you really think… I should go out with Junho?” Sunggyu asked as he worried his bottom lip.

He didn’t turn to look at his best friend but leaned back as well, letting his head fall back against the bark of the tree. The pink haired male gave him a side-glance before letting out a sigh. He wasn’t sure what his best friend wanted to hear. He already told him what he thought and he was still having second thoughts over it. He wasn’t trying to force anything on him, he was simply trying to look out for his friend but if his opinion didn’t help him, then what could he do? Should he say no? Should he tell him to try things out with Woohyun even though they were nothing more than friends, even though the pain he could experience could break him? The situation was very unclear and very uncertain for the red head. There was always the fear of rejection. Even worse, the fear of losing those people they held close and so dear completely. It scared them…both of them.

“…”

Sunggyu groaned, “Forget about Junho, how the heck are we even gonna break the news to Hoya? We need to tell him Dongwoo.”

The pink haired male sighed deeply at the mention of it. It wasn’t that he didn’t think of it, it actually occupied his mind more than he wanted to admit, more than he wanted to care.

“If we keep dragging this out… we’ll completely miss the right timing for this…”

Dongwoo remained unmoving and merely looked out into the distance, his eyes were unfocused but his mind was going a mile a minute. What would Hoya do? What would he say? What kind of face will he have to witness?

“Should I tell him first?” the red head asked.

“No… I… I’d want you there with me. I can’t do it by myself.”

The emotions that ran through him at the simple thought scared him. He didn’t feel that way when he came out to Sunggyu, nor his family. He knew them and he knew they’d embrace him. His mother and sisters were nothing but loving and supporting.

The first person he confided his secret in was Sunggyu. He wanted to tell someone what he felt and Sunggyu did a great job at keeping his secrets. Although he’d admit, this secret was on a completely different level than completely ruining some paperwork that his father laid about in the kitchen (which turned out to be his father’s renewing contract for the company he worked for).

Sunggyu was completely shocked, but he accepted it without any struggles. There were two people left that he needed to break the news to, and Hoya was one of them.

“Okay, we’ll do it together,” Sunggyu said as he patted the other’s thigh.

Sunggyu sighed mentally as his thoughts brought him around to a full circle. He was still unsure about Junho. With Junho, he was assured he was liked. He would be sure that he’d be loved in return. He wasn’t walking in blindly. The younger male paved the ground for him and lit it brightly. He felt so much safer stepping on solid ground.

So then why was it so hard for him to make that decision? Everything was clear in front of him, yet he still hesitated. His foot was on the path and the other still lingered at the starting point.

Why was he being held back?

His eyes sought out Woohyun and he couldn’t help the sigh that escaped his lips when he saw him.

How far deep was he exactly? He wasn’t sure he could see the top anymore.


	15. Soccer Bonds

“What are they waiting on? They’ve been standing around for a while now,” Sunggyu asked.

It wasn’t long until they saw someone leave the group a little ways away to get on the phone.

“Maybe on more people? The captain isn’t here,” Dongwoo observed.

There was another discussion going on before they watched them break to get into their positions. Hoya and Myungsoo were in one team while Woohyun was on the other. The two friends watched quietly as they finally started with a kick-off.

It was to be expected but all the players were incredibly impressive. Sunggyu and Dongwoo didn’t know much about the sport but they found themselves cheering on when the teams were close to making a goal. Hoya was a fierce attacker. He’d have the opposing team on their toes as soon as he got close enough to shoot a goal. Likewise, Jonghyun was a good defender and was faster than their friend.

“Jonghyun that’s not fair! Stop blocking!” Sunggyu yelled.

The male blocked a total of three shots that were a sure goal for Hoya’s team. Taemin and Kibum seemed to think otherwise if the cheers and shouts of “good job” was anything to go by.

“Hey! Stop encouraging him!” Sunggyu yelled at the two friends.

It only resulted in the two shouting louder and making more racket, making Dongwoo and Sunggyu laugh. Fifteen minutes passed by with loud shouts, cheers, and chanting. Myungsoo managed to score a goal thanks to Hoya. The soccer players didn’t really take the two brothers seriously, mostly because they were sure they weren’t very skilled. While it was true that their skills weren’t honed or practiced regularly, they were more than formidable opponents, as Woohyun proved by the two goals he scored.

“Good job guys!” Sunggyu congratulated them as they made their way to the two friends sitting under the tree.

“I’m so thirsty. Why didn’t we bring anything to drink?” Woohyun asked as he sat on the ground and laid back against the cool blades of grass.

“I dunno,” Hoya replied as he picked a spot next to Dongwoo and laid his head on a thigh.

“You’re sweaty!” Dongwoo protested but made no effort to move. The male looked pretty tired.

“I’ll go buy you guys something to drink,” Sunggyu offered as he made to stand.

“Aw man, did we miss the first half?” they heard someone say.

All attention turned to the two males that just arrived.

“Just missed it,” Dongwoo replied as he greeted with a nod.

He hummed in disapproval before speaking again, “Jinki told me you guys were gonna be here so we made a quick pit-stop. You guys thirsty?” He held up a bag filled with water bottles.

At the quick reaction of the three that were sprawled on the ground he laughed. He handed all of them the cold waters and even offered some to Sunggyu and Dongwoo, to which they took gratefully.

“I’ll be back. I gotta meet the guys.”

“That was nice of him,” Woohyun said as he wiped the excess water from his chin.

He  took a huge gulp from it and  didn ’t exactly care about the water that escaped his mouth at that particular moment.

“He’s a kid with good manners,” Sunggyu agreed.

“You’re pretty damn good with that ball,” Hoya said as he turned his attention to Woohyun after drinking more than half the bottle of water.

“I’m good at everything,” Woohyun countered, making his brother snort.

The junior turned to Myungsoo stiffly, his eyes giving him a clear indication of _shut up before I hurt you_. The sophomore merely shrugged before returning to rest down on the grass.

“Sure, sure. Little show off,” Hoya said as he too returned to resting.

He shot a charming smile to the red head to which the other returned before shaking his head, “Nam Woohyun, you are so full of yourself.”

That caused the group to break out into small chuckles.

“I am not! But you know you love me,” he stated confidently however, it made Sunggyu’s smile fall a bit, “I’m irresistible.”

He lowered his gaze to the grass, “Everyone and their dog loves  _ you _ , Woohyun.”

Another small bout of chuckles filled the air.

“ You love me too, right?” he asked teasingly.

Sunggyu’s gaze lifted to meet the junior and his eyes widened considerably. Woohyun was smiling that infuriatingly cute and foolish smile while forming a heart with his hands. Woohyun was using… aegyo…?

“Because I love  Sunggyu the most.”

A kick to his side toppled him over in a heap of laughter. Myungsoo, Hoya and even Dongwoo started complaining about how cheesy and embarrassing the other was, Hoya going so far as banishing him from the group, but Woohyun took it all in stride, laughing at the expressions Hoya made as he tried doing more cute things just to mess with him. After the third set of ‘buing buings’ Hoya got up and tackled him down, Myungsoo joining in a little after just to inflict pain on his brother and not be entirely blamed for it.

Sunggyu shook his head as he laughed at the sudden cries of Woohyun giving up and being sorry.

“He’s lying,” the red head provided, which resulted in another bout of Hoya trying to pull some odd wannabe wrestling move with his legs that only made everyone else laugh at how ridiculous he looked.

Hoya gave up in the end and just laid there, laughing at Dongwoo’s red face, “I can’t breathe!” the pink haired male managed to say between his laughter as he fell over to Sunggyu’s lap.

“You guys are going to kill them,” the red head said as he caught sight of Myungsoo pretty much rolling around on the grass. He still wore a big smile on his face too. He shifted his attention to Woohyun who was laying face down. He was breathing hard but he wasn’t laughing. He didn’t see what the others did so he was just resting and trying to catch his breath. Sunggyu’s brow rose when he saw the smile that crossed the other’s lips suddenly. And then he was sending miniature hearts with his thumb and index finger to the older male.

Sunggyu felt his face grow even warmer than it was and he was about to incriminate him with Hoya to make him stop, but the sudden voice he heard directed his attention to it.

“It’s like I’m watching little kids. Hoya, I think you need more practice, man,” it was Junho.

“Don’t talk to me right now,” the other said, waving a hand lazily to match his words. He was tired from all that running and now the laughing. They were supposed to be resting, not exerting themselves more.

Sunggyu smiled warmly at him and the male took the opportunity to sit next to him, legs slightly touching.

“Is there a possibility of me joining the next half?” Junho asked Hoya.

“I guess so, but we’d have to sit someone out.”

It was amusing how fast Myungsoo’s hand shot up, “I volunteer.”

It made the other’s chuckle.

“Is the baby tired?” Woohyun teased as he crawled over and poked Myungsoo’s side, forcing him to roll away unsuccessfully.

“Sunggyu,” the younger male called, his voice just shy of sounding whiny.

“Leave Soo alone Woohyun,” the other responded on auto-pilot but definitely not hesitant in defending the younger of the two.

Woohyun scowled down at his brother before deciding to use him as a human mattress.

“Dude… What the hell,” Hoya laughed when he saw the two. Woohyun decided to lay on his stomach on top of the other. It was at that moment that Hoya yelled, “Dog pile!”

It was amusing to see Hoya and Dongwoo practically shoot up, Woohyun and Myungsoo’s muffled yells of “no wait!” going completely unnoticed as grunts escaped them instead. Sunggyu wasn’t that far behind. He made sure everyone was properly placed and balanced before sitting on top of Dongwoo’s back.

“Ugh, is that Sunggyu? Why does it feel like a baby elephant just climbed on top of us,” Hoya complained.

“Hey!” the red head yelled, completely flustered before getting up. He moved Dongwoo out of the way before very mercilessly resting his elbow in the middle of Hoya’s back and putting his entire weight on it.

“Ah! Ah-ah! Okay I’m sorry I’m sorry! You’re as light as a feather!” the athletic male yelled as he tried to thrash around.

He rolled off the other two once the painful pressure on his back was removed. He coughed dramatically afterwards. He was quickly forgotten as Junho called to the red haired male.

“ Hey , did you see Nell’s teaser?”

Sunggyu and Woohyun’s reactions seemed identical. They both gasped as they turned to look at each other.

“That was today!” Woohyun exclaimed. He quickly sat up from where he was as Sunggyu pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“Ugh, I can’t believe I forgot! After we talked about it last night,” Sunggyu threw a look at Dongwoo who moved over the moment he saw Woohyun head over to them.

“I forgot too! We had something more important to take care of, Sunggyu,” the other retorted without real heat.

Sunggyu only managed to stealthily stick his tongue out, making Woohyun laugh at his childish antics, “Let’s watch it together.”

The red head only hummed in agreement. He tried to ignore the fact that currently Woohyun was on his right, his whole body leaning against his, while Junho was on his left, leaning against him as well. He could only swallow a lump in his throat as he tapped away on his screen.

Now that just wasn’t fair.

Dongwoo stood to stretch and walk around a bit, but in reality he wanted to see Sunggyu’s face. He wondered what kind of expression this kind of situation brought to the other’s face. He wanted to laugh out loud at the intensely concentrated face of the other. His cheeks were slightly tinted pink and he could see his unoccupied hand clenched in his lap.

Sunggyu never thought the day would come when he wouldn’t pay the slightest attention to anything Nell related.

“Ah, they didn’t give us any lyrics for the song,” Woohyun complained when the screen finally went black.

“You like Nell too?” Junho asked as he leaned over to get a look at the male on the other side of Sunggyu.

“Yeah. I was surprised when I found out he was a fan. We nearly got married because of it.”

Sunggyu scoffed at the male and pushed him away, “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Not married, but I was nearly replaced,” Dongwoo stated with arms crossed and a light pout on his lips.

“Ah…,” Junho seemed to understand, “I didn’t get into Nell until I met this guy. Really, it used to be the only thing he talked about back in the day.”

“It was not!” The red head defended.

“Kim Jongwan this, Kim Jongwan that. He said he’d totally marry him if he ever got the chance.”

Sunggyu gasped, “That is _not_ true! Stop putting words in my mouth!”

The group broke out into laughter as they watched the red head physically abuse Jinki’s cousin until he sent him tumbling down with a hard push.

“Jinki! Come get your cousin he’s being a pest!” he called half-heartedly over his shoulder as he tried to roll him further away from the group.

“Sunggyu seems like the type to say that,” Woohyun smiled at the thought.

Dongwoo smiled. It was definitely no big secret to anyone that Sunggyu’s love for Nell was pretty strong. It was a group that got him through those troubling nights of ingraining study habits to become as good as his father wanted. The music, soothing and dark as it was, got him through his slight depression of coming to terms with his sexual orientation as well. The music got him through the hardest years of his life.

“Not you too…,” he crossed his arms defiantly; “This is why you’re not my favorite.”

Anything else that could have been said was forgotten as Jonghyun called out to Hoya, “Dojoon is here!”

It was instinct for everyone to turn to look at the approaching male. Sunggyu made a slight grimace when he saw who he was accompanied with. Hoya was the one who spoke out everyone’s thoughts.

“What’s he doing with  _ her _ ?”

Attached to his right arm was none other than Park Gyuri. Sunggyu let out a small noise of annoyance as he glared at her before turning his attention to the phone in his hand. Sunggyu heard from Yeunja about her history with Dojoon. It turned out that the soccer captain was showing an interest in Yeunja for a while (and it wasn’t one sided from what she told him) but ever since the whole ordeal with the Nam brothers, Gyuri made it her mission to draw the captain away from her out of spite.

“What took you so long?” Hoya asked as he stood, joining the rest of the soccer team who beg a n to gather.

The answer was lost with the commotion and the others were left to stare at the group of guys.

“Who’s she?” Junho asked the red head, sensing the atmosphere change.

“ _ That _ is a venomous snake, so watch your back,” Dongwoo answered, giving Junho a pointed look.

“Looks like she’s sunk her fangs pretty deep in the captain,” Myungsoo mused aloud.

Junho’s brows rose at the less than nice comments by both guys.

“Guys let’s go! Junho! You’re playing right?” Hoya yelled from a little ways away.

The sudden yell definitely drew other onlooker’s attention to them. Junho yelled a quick affirmative before turning his attention to the red head, “Watch me,” he smiled handsomely before standing to follow the brothers out into the field.

Sunggyu’s eyes followed the male, the small smile that he gave in return growing the further he walked away.

“Ohh, ‘watch me’,” Dongwoo tried to mimic but ended up giggling instead.

Sunggyu laughed as well, covering his face in embarrassment. Well, he figured the guy would have some good moves. Soccer was his hobby since before two years ago so he wondered how well he would do against the varsity soccer team of his school.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything about being confident…,” he murmured between his hands before pulling them away. It was a thought he voiced out loud but Dongwoo heard it pretty clear. His pink haired friend laughed.

“What is it that you like about Woohyun anyway?”

Sunggyu’s brows rose at the sudden question. He scratched his temple in an attempt to buy time but it hardly helped. That was a question that didn’t really cross his mind and so he was at a loss as to how to answer it. The junior didn’t exactly do anything specific. He was handsome and the traits that made him Woohyun simply appealed to him. He was polite, he owned a cute smile, an oddly placed cute dimple, intense eyes, a strong mindset, and he was really easy to get along with. He was a simple guy.

“…He’s nice.”

Dongwoo gave him a rare look, the one that stated that he was not amused and that he’d better be kidding. It was Sunggyu’s turn to giggle.

“I don’t really know Dongwoo. He’s handsome and he’s easygoing. We have a lot of things in common. He’s a loser and he’s cool all at the same time… I mean, what do you want to hear? Even I don’t understand it…”

“Well that’s a lot more helpful than ‘he’s nice,’ you know.”

“Yeah well, he’s nice too.”

They sat in silence as they watched the game that started without their knowledge. Each of them naturally found a person to set their gaze on as they moved back and forth. The field looked a little more crowded with the extra two people added in, but it was just what they needed. There was definitely a lot more movement than before and a lot more yelling by the players.

“Jonghyun stay with your mark!”

“Dongwoon’s open!”

“Keep your eyes on Dojoon!”

“Go, go, go!” Sunggyu yelled suddenly as he watched the ball being dribbled continuously between Woohyun and Junho towards the opposing team’s goal. Junho’s footwork was amazing and he’d feint a kick or a pass as the captain tried to tackle and kick the ball from his control.

“Gikwang don’t leave your mark!” Hoya yelled as he tried to back up the captain. Leaving Woohyun completely open was not an option, especially when the tussle was less than ten feet from the goal.

It was at that moment that Junho saw the opening. He kicked the ball between Dojoon’s legs, successfully passing Gikwang who was left to stare as the ball whizzed right by him. Woohyun used the ball’s momentum to kick it towards the goal. The goalie’s instinct was right, but his body was not fast enough.

Cheers erupted from the scoring side as they gathered around Junho and Woohyun while the goalie went to retrieve the ball. Sunggyu watched the two guys laugh with each other as they made their way to the opposite side of the field. They were talking and patting each other’s backs as the rest of the team complimented them and did the same.

Sunggyu sighed thoughtfully as he watched them from the sidelines.

“Come on Myungsoo! You’re falling behind!” Dongwoo yelled.

The younger brother merely turned to look at the best friends before throwing his hands up in the air. It was unnecessary to mention but at the end of the game, the Nam brother’s and one Lee Junho definitely earned the respect of the varsity team. The winning team was Woohyun’s.


	16. Sensitive

“Sunggyu…”

“Hm?”

“Today was fun.”

Sunggyu laughed very quietly, “Was it so fun to run around all day bathed in your own sweat?”

“It was fun,” the other agreed playfully.

“Well it’s not fun smelling you from all the way over here,” Sunggyu teased.

Sunggyu could only giggle as the other sputtered. He was embarrassed by such an accusation and he didn’t know how to respond to it.

“How can you say that! After I’ve been walking around all day like this…,” the younger male drew his arms together to keep any smell from escaping his less than fresh skin.

Sunggyu laughed heartily before wrapping an arm around the younger male’s shoulders. It was subtle but he could smell the faint scent of his cologne wafting up to greet his nose. It was only faintly spicy but definitely strong and masculine to him. He lived with a bunch of girls that wore flowery and fruity scents; he could recognize the difference right away. He wasn’t fond of the smell for him but it definitely fit the junior to a T.

“I was just kidding. You’re probably releasing some kind of pheromone and that’s why so many girls have come flocking to you.”

Woohyun remained quiet for a second, staring at the ground before he turned to look at the red haired male, “You just indirectly insulted me, didn’t you?”

“What?” Sunggyu asked, confused.

“Only animals have pheromones!”

“Insects do too,” Sunggyu corrected.

“You see!”

He released another laugh, “Can’t you just take it for what it is? It’s a compliment! How many people have indirectly told you that you smell attractive even after sweating like a pig?”

Woohyun pulled away from his arm, “A pig?”

“Oh God, you know what? Forget I said anything,” Sunggyu sighed as he pulled away completely, opting to take a seat on the bench on the other side of the one they were currently occupying.

“Here I was thinking my sisters were touchy,” he grumbled under his breath, albeit not serious at all, as he let his head rest against his open palm, his elbow resting on the arm rest and completely diverting his attention to some other shops that were open.

After having played their friendly match they decided to rest a bit under the shade of the trees to let the guys replenish their energy and cool off. The little down time turned into a big rowdy gathering. Jinki and his friends joined them and they yelled and made fun of each other. While it was true that Sunggyu wasn’t entirely fond of being around too many people, he figured it wasn’t so bad every once in a while, much less if he was laughing throughout the whole thing. It wasn’t long after that Gikwang and his friends joined the loud group of friends, leaving the captain to sit with his guest.

Hoya couldn’t resist knowing what was going on between the two. If the faces the guys made were anything to go by, they weren’t exactly happy that Dojoon hooked up with her.

“Looks like he missed his chance to get with a decent girl,” Yoseob, a baby faced teen, commented as he spared the pair a glance.

Sunggyu could only smile with no humor. Even the captain’s teammates were aware of what could have been between Dojoon and his sister.

“You got that right. If he changes his mind or not it’s already too late. I doubt Yeunja would give him the time of day after this,” Hoya stated.

“Kids, that is what a bad decision looks like,” Jonghyun stated, making the group of guys laugh.

After the initial commotion everyone began to go their own way, claiming hunger and tiredness before lumbering off in small groups. Sunggyu didn’t noticed because he didn’t want to give Gyuri any satisfaction of being acknowledged whatsoever, but the girl was giving Junho some obvious attention without his knowing. It all came to light when they were about to leave.

The couple, so to speak, approached the group. Dojoon bid his goodbyes to his teammates and the new guys, although he avoided making eye contact with the red head. Sunggyu figured he could feel the glare behind his friendly smile. Well he couldn’t help feeling biased towards his own sister.

It was painfully obvious how Gyuri didn’t greet anyone else but went straight for Junho, holding out her hand and introducing herself. That alone struck Sunggyu odd and it wasn’t until Dojoon practically dragged her away (after taking notice of all the unfavorable stares from everyone there) that Junho revealed what she gave him. It was a folded piece of paper…with her number written on it.

The red head lifted his gaze to meet Junho’s. The other doing the same. They stared at each other for a few seconds before the dark haired male lifted his brows, asking the older male what to do with it. Sunggyu looked away before answering, “Do what you want.”

The younger couldn’t help the smile that crossed his lips.

“Congrats. If you’re not careful, you will become another victim,” Hoya patted his shoulder before following the red head.

 

 

There was a decent sized shopping square about three blocks away from the school, and they all decided to go there to kill some time, also, because Myungsoo promised Sunggyu an ice cream. After the initial window shopping and actual shopping, Sunggyu and Woohyun were currently waiting on Myungsoo and Dongwoo, who went to buy the ice cream while Junho and Hoya went to the restroom, hence why he was stuck with such a sensitive Woohyun by himself.

“Sunggyu…?”

“What?” Sunggyu asked without turning to look at the younger male.

He felt the bench move slightly, signaling that someone took a seat next to him.

“It’s because you can’t resist me, right?”

Sunggyu panicked for a split second before turning to look at the junior with a less than amused side-long look.

“You can’t resist my sexy?”

At the familiar line Sunggyu’s face broke out into a smile, of course he’d be taking lines from Hoya. Those two got along a lot better than he thought.

“You have been corrupted. That’s it, I’m done. Get away from me,” the red head pushed the other away by his shoulder but Woohyun merely took that as a sign to get closer and annoy him more.

“Sunggyu~” he dragged out playfully as he tried to wrap his arms around the older male’s shoulders.

“Stop! What are you doing…!” Sunggyu struggled against his hold, small bouts of laughter leaving his lips when Woohyun would get too close before he somehow managed to push him away.

They didn’t spend too much time playing around before they heard Hoya yelling encouragements to Woohyun, telling him to show Sunggyu who was boss. Sunggyu turned to give Hoya a glare but the fighting was brought to a stop by Junho’s simple request.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?”

“I’m not done with him yet,” Woohyun tried to argue but a stern call of his name by the red head made him back off with a hint of a pout on his lips, “Fine,” he relented.

Sunggyu gave the junior a smack to his shoulder as a small form of revenge before hurrying off to avoid being the last one to get hit. He collided with Junho but briefly recovered and took his arm to pull him away and shield himself from Woohyun, who got up to chase after him. The dark haired junior glared at him and made a notion with his index finger, clearly signaling that he wasn’t going to get away with it, making Sunggyu smile. The older male taunted him childishly before returning his attention to Junho.

His smile left his features slowly as he saw the other with a rather serious look on his face.

“What’s wrong?”

Junho shook his head, “Nothing… Woohyun didn’t hang out with you guys before, right?”

“No. He’s actually really new to our group,” Sunggyu answered as his attention turned to the two guys who were currently sitting on the bench.

“He’s a pretty cool guy,” Junho stated.

Sunggyu smiled as he nodded, “He’s really different from his first impression but he is pretty cool.”

“He doesn’t have a girlfriend?”

“No, not that I know of.”

“… I see…,” Junho spent a moment looking over at their object of conversation before returning his attention to Sunggyu, “But I didn’t pull you over here to talk about Woohyun.”

“Oh, for a second I thought I had competition,” Sunggyu joked, “I know he’s handsome.”

“But your face is prettier,” Sunggyu felt his face heat up and he looked away, too shy to look at the other.

He didn’t know how to respond to the compliment so he settled for an awkward thank you. He just wasn’t used to it. Junho found it endearing and he decided to distract him from the compliment instead.

“So, I was hoping you’d grace me with your presence tomorrow.”

Sunggyu raised a brow in question.

“I do owe you a date after all.”

Sunggyu’s eyes widened, “You don’t…!” he stopped when he realized he was being too loud,   
“What?”

“Yes I do! I specifically remember you saying ‘you have to date me,’ and when you put it like that, I don’t really have a choice, do I?” Junho asked.

Sunggyu would have thought that he was serious if it wasn’t for the other’s handsome smile softening his words.

He laughed nervously, “Right, you don’t,” he played along.

“So how does tomorrow sound?

“Tomorrow…?” Sunggyu pretended to think for a second, but his heart was racing. It was soon. Way too soon. He didn’t think Junho would make his move so quickly. He just talked to him the night before after all.

“Okay, tomorrow.”

The male smiled, “Tomorrow at six then. Make sure you’re ready,” he said as he suddenly decided to be bold and cup his cheek, caressing his skin with his thumb lightly before retreating.

To say that butterflies erupted in his stomach by the sudden and caring gesture would most definitely be an understatement. His whole body became warm all over because the simple gesture made him feel so…  _ treasured _ . How was that even possible? He was never one to buy into the over sensitivity of a single touch, but here his body was responding absolutely favorably. 

_ Would it feel the same if… _ , he didn’t realize his gaze returned to the two males sitting on the bench, his eyes on the playful junior that changed his target to his brother.

“Look, they’re back with your ice cream.”

Sunggyu didn’t miss the look his best friend gave him when they reached all of them again. It didn’t say much but a simple, ‘I saw what he did there.’ Sunggyu merely threw an arm around him, taking the ice cream cone from Myungsoo soon afterward.

“Yeah, you’re definitely my favorite brother,” Sunggyu stated as he patted his head gently.

Myungsoo could only smile in contentment from being praised.

“So what’s next? We still have… maybe two hours left of daylight,” Hoya asked as he ate away at the ice cream that Dongwoo bought him.

There was a moment of silence as they all thought quietly, until Junho spoke up.

“I’ll be going. I said I’d meet up with Jinki in a little bit. I gotta get back and shower before that.”

“Alright, man,” Hoya held out his hand. Junho clasped it, tapping the other’s back carefully – since he also had a cone in his hand – and proceeding to do the same with the rest of the guys.

“Hey, I’ve been wondering, are you staying for the whole summer?” Hoya asked.

“Um,” the guy thought for a second or two before answering, “If all goes well,” he glanced at Sunggyu, “yeah, I’ll be here all summer.”

Sunggyu pretended not to notice but turned away, smiling at nothing in embarrassment at the other’s less than subtle words, hoping no one noticed him. He was a little burdened by how straightforward Junho was, especially since Hoya, Woohyun and Myungsoo knew nothing about what was going on. Although he didn’t mentioned anything to Junho about that, he was grateful the other didn’t do anything extreme.

He tensed when he felt someone lean into him, “Don’t forget. Tomorrow at six.”

“Okay,” he agreed quietly as the athletic male pulled away.

“See you guys later!”

They all said their goodbyes. Dongwoo and Sunggyu took a seat on the bench adjacent to where the other three decided to sit. Sunggyu merely watched absently as the other walked out of view.

“What was all that about?” the pink haired male asked quietly.

“…I have a date tomorrow.”

It sounded so odd coming from his own mouth. A date. An actual date… What the hell was he going to do? He’d have to go home to ask his sisters for some advice. Unfortunately, Dongwoo and himself were quite lacking in that department and even though he knew Hoya and (more than likely) Woohyun had experience (he wasn’t sure but ,well why wouldn’t they?), they would most definitely want to know of the other party, and he wasn’t exactly ready to let them know about it.

His best friend’s eyes widened, “For real?! Congrats! Where is he taking you?”

“I have no clue…”

Dongwoo giggled quietly, “Good luck. I hope he doesn’t jump the gun and asks you to marry him.”

“Dongwoo!! This isn’t making me feel any better!” the red head whispered harshly, “I’m already nervous just thinking about it!”

The male giggled a little louder as he threw an arm around his friend’s shoulders to hold himself steady, “Sorry.”

He was mostly silent throughout the remaining time they spent together finishing their treats. Woohyun and Hoya would occasionally point something out to each other though, and all they’d do is exchange looks. Upon closer inspection, Sunggyu realized they were pointing out girls. Sunggyu merely rolled his eyes. They were still guys after all.

He would admit he’d felt a twinge of disappointment when the junior greeted a girl (while they were shopping) and gave her that charming smile he saw the very first day he laid eyes on him. Once or twice he would talk to them. He would watch as the girls smiled or giggled behind their hands and answered him before continuing off with a little added sway to their walk. It wasn’t just Woohyun. Hoya, Junho, Myungsoo, Dongwoo and he included, would catch certain girls’ eyes. Of course, he wouldn’t notice. He’d simply smile back at them and greet them casually.

After the fourth or fifth one he smiled handsomely to while they were sitting, he heard some whispering coming from their more athletic counterparts.

“Sunggyu is a lady killer.”

“Look at how he just dismisses them.”

“Cold blooded.”

The last statement came from the youngest of them and it certainly made the group let out small bouts of laughter. Sunggyu only rolled his eyes, the smile on his lips giving away his amusement as well.

“They’ve caught onto you, Gyu,” Dongwoo giggled.

“Don’t help me out here, please,” the red head sighed before standing, “I’m calling it a day. I’ve got to get home.”

“We’ll go with you,” Woohyun stated as he too stood, motioning for Myungsoo to do the same.

“Ah… what if I wanted to pick some girl up? You should be more considerate!” Sunggyu scolded.

It only caused the junior to laugh, “You’d never do something like that.”

Dongwoo was laughing as well, “You’re right.”

“I’d expect it of this guy, but not you,” Woohyun pointed to Hoya and quickly jumped out of the way when he saw the other throw a kick to the back of his knee.

“He looks shady,” Myungsoo added and quickly escaped the other as he tried to go for him next.

It only left the friends laughing as he failed to catch him as well.

“You guys are asses,” Hoya stated as he crossed his arms.

They all said their goodbyes soon after, leaving Dongwoo and Hoya behind as the other three left for home. It was a couple of minutes until Woohyun spoke up.

“Is everything okay with Junho?”

Sunggyu’s attention turned to the other at the mention of Jinki’s cousin, “Yeah, why?”

“Oh…,” they walked silently for a few seconds, “He looked kinda serious when he asked to talk to you. I thought maybe something happened.”

“Oh… No nothing like that…” another pause of silence, “he was just asking me why you smelled so bad.”

“Sunggyu!”

Sunggyu laughed. It was just too easy to tease the other. They walked in silence the rest of the way home.


	17. Helping Hands

“That girl has a lot of nerve, doesn’t she?” Woohyun asked as he propped himself next to the staircase that led up to Sunggyu’s home.

Sunggyu scoffed, “How can she even show her face like that? Especially after what Yeunja did to her. You’d think she’d have a little shame.”

“I’m not sure she knows what that is,” the junior stated with a smile.

“Hmph, but put a good looking guy in front of her and she’ll know exactly what to do,” the red head said as he looked up at the sky.

“I think Junho may have liked her…”

Sunggyu’s attention quickly diverted to the male in front of him, “Why do you say that?”

“He kept the number.”

The sinking feeling Sunggyu got in his stomach made him shift in his place, “I see,” he answered before turning to walk up onto the porch. He headed to the porch swing and made himself comfortable, Woohyun following suit.

Myungsoo decided to head home and shower before his brother, so it was currently just the two of them.

“He’s old enough to take care of himself… if he’s one to learn from experience then who are we to stop him?” it came out nonchalant, but it made Sunggyu’s stomach twist.

“A man should be able to tell when a girl means trouble. I’m sure giving a number to someone else in front of your boyfriend is a sure sign that bells should be going off somewhere.”

“A  _ man _ should be able to tell, huh?” Sunggyu mocked playfully.

“Yeah, I mean, I judged you well enough, didn’t I? I knew you were nice as a girl,” Woohyun flinched and groaned when he felt the other throw a halfhearted punch against his arm, “You’re not so nice as a guy, but still nice, I guess.”

That caused the red head to laugh, “Why? Because I won’t pick up girls for my own benefit?”

“There’s that,” the junior smiled, “but because you’re just nice in general. Myungsoo has grown attached to you, if you haven’t noticed.”

Sunggyu only hummed. Of course he noticed. The younger brother used to be so quiet and reserved, but he figured he took a liking to him almost immediately. It was most evident with Sunggyu, but he grew attached to all of them. He was just around the red head a lot more than the other two. It was fine with him though. It was like Myungsoo was the younger brother he never had.

They spent a moment sitting in silence, listening to the sounds of the summer night; the sounds of the crickets and cicadas adding music to the otherwise still night. Sunggyu leaned his head back and closed his eyes. The constant breeze that started up as soon as the sun set felt nice against his hot skin and it nearly lulled him to sleep.

“Sunggyu…?”

“Hmm?”

“Maybe you should go inside and sleep. I don’t think it’s okay for you to doze off out here…unless you want me to carry you to your room like a princess?”

“Ha, please,” Sunggyu said disbelievingly, “I doubt you’d be able to pick me up off the ground.”

“…”

“…”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Sunggyu laughed, somewhat offended, before hitting the other male, turning his hand into a fist and throwing quick punches on his arm repeatedly. He wasn’t putting any real strength behind it and Woohyun could only laugh at the other’s reaction, trying to move away and ending up laying on his side on the swing.

“And then you wonder why Myungsoo is my favorite. He’s so respectful and mindful of his awesome neighbor.”

Woohyun merely grunted and chuckled quietly before sitting up again, “Oh hey, what did you think of Nell’s teaser?”

“Ah, I don’t know. I didn’t really hear it earlier…” Sunggyu confessed.

The dark haired male smiled guiltily, “I didn’t either. Let’s give it another listen,” hepulled his phone out of his pocket the moment Sunggyu finished his sentence, “It was hard to hear it. Everyone was being really loud.”

Sunggyu enjoyed that minute, leaning his head to rest against the other’s shoulder comfortably as they let the music from the phone drown out everything else around them. It passed by much too quickly.

“There’s a lot of synth in this one,” Woohyun commented once his phone’s screen went black.

“They’ve brought it out more than usual but it’s still nice.”

“Biased.”

“And you’re not?”

Woohyun laughed, “Then that makes two of us then.”

“You should,” a yawn interrupted his sentence, “go to sleep now. It was a long day.”

“Too much excitement for you?”

Sunggyu hummed, amused.  _ You have no idea _ , he thought tiredly but didn’t move from his position. He was comfortable and it wasn’t until then that he felt his body begin draining from the day’s activities. Woohyun’s teasing smile faded slowly as he stared out at the still and dark street. The only lights were the ones coming from the porches of the houses that lined the street. The typical sounds of the summer night filling the quiet that engulfed them again.

“You should go inside.”

Another half-hearted hum that made Woohyun chuckle silently, “You really want me to carry you?”

“You won’t.”

“Oh so you  _ can _ speak.”

Sunggyu pushed himself off the other and stood, stretching his muscles a bit before walking past the male who stood behind him. Sunggyu fumbled with his keys for a second before finding the right one and inserting it into the lock.

“I’ll see you later then. Goodnight,” Woohyun bid his farewell.

“Yeah, goodnight,” the other answered as he unlocked the door and pushed it open, his attention on the male that was walking across the lawn to reach his own porch. He didn’t enter his own house until Woohyun waved to him, signaling that he got the door open before they both entered their respective houses.

Coming home to two older sisters was definitely not what he was expecting.

“You are  _ such _ a flirt!” Yeunja squealed in delight as she pulled him towards a couch.

His tiredness dissipated with the sudden welcome party his two sisters suddenly created with his arrival.

“What?” he asked, unsure of what was going on. 

“You were being all cuddly with Woohyun! Don’t think we didn’t see you!”

“You guys are crazy...and delusional!” he said as got up from the couch.

“Yeah, whatever,” Haneul, the eldest of the two girls said, “It looked like you guys just got back from a date.”

“A date, yeah right,” he brushed off as he headed towards the stairs until realization hit him.

He ran back to the pouting girls on the couch, “I have a date tomorrow!”

“What? With Woohyun??” Yeunja asked, confused.

“No! With Junho! Lee Junho!”

“Oh! Congratulations!” Haneul exclaimed quietly before speaking in an even lower voice, “Let’s go upstairs. Mom and Dad are probably sleeping already.”

It was a matter of moments before they all entered the room and were demanding the details from their brother. They sat and listened as their brother re-told the day's events with a few interjections and embarrassing comments from both sisters.

“Oh, made him jealous, huh? And it worked, that's kinda cute,” Haneul teased as she lightly pushed her younger brother.

“Jealous...? But we were just playing...”

“He sees Woohyun as a threat... What kind of playing were you doing?” Yeunja asked.

“He was just... He... well he was hugging me.”

“Jealous,” the girls confirmed before giggling.

Sunggyu simply smiled as he shifted his attention to the floor, remembering how serious the other looked as he called him over to get him away from Woohyun.

“So where is he taking you?” Yeunja asked.

“I don't know... He just said he'd be by to pick me up at six... I'm so nervous...” he confessed, his leg bouncing up and down as he began to think about it.

Haneul laughed, “Calm down. So we don't know where he's taking you but I think dressing up casually will work. A classy kind of casual.”

“...Meaning?”

“Meaning, all you need to do is add a blazer over whatever you usually wear,” his sister explained.

“Really...? That's considered classy?”

“Yeah,” his older sister said in a tone that made him feel dumb, “All you need is a blazer to go from casual to classy,” she smiled, “For tomorrow, wear those black skinnies you love so much, a white shirt... I think you have a v-neck, wear that, and the cute blazer Aecha bought you!”

“You mean the one that was ruined in the wash?” Sunggyu asked as he turned to Yeunja.

“What?”

“Yeah... Jinho was helping me do the laundry a while back and … she spilled bleach on it,” Yeunja said guiltily.

She really liked the blazer too so she was shocked when she realized what happened. Haneul sat there for a few seconds, thinking about a solution before sighing.

“I guess we'll figure this out later. It's late now. You should sleep. Don't want you getting sleepy half way through the date,” she said as she stood.

“Goodnight,” he said as they closed the door.

His phone rang, a familiar tone filling his room briefly.

**_Hyun_**  
_I'm finally clean~~!_

He giggled at the message

**_Hyun_**  
_I can hug you now, right? Pretty gyu?? hehehe_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_You want to die, right?_

**_Hyun_**  
_you_ _can't touch me_  
_I'm too handsome_

 ** _Sunggyu_**  
_… You're on a different level than Hoya -_-_  
_Just go to sleep._

**_Hyun_**  
_That guy has nothing on me_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Hahaha_  
_I'm telling him_

**_Hyun_**  
_No! Wait I was just kidding!!_

Sunggyu laughed quietly as he took a snapshot of the screen before sending a smiley face and opening the chat that would allow him to send the picture to everyone.

It was only a matter of seconds before someone responded.

**_Ho_**  
_…_

**_Ho_**  
_This is hubris_

**_Ho_**  
_You cannot surpass the God_

**_Ho_**  
_I am God_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Ho-God lolol_

**_Hyun_**  
_I am ashamed_

**_Donggie_**  
_This is so embarrassing /hides_

**_Myunggie_**  
_I officially cut my blood ties with you_

**_Donggie_**  
_Pahahahaha_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_lmao_

**_Ho_**  
_Hahahaha_

**_Hyun_**  
_This runs in your veins Myungsoo, you can't escape it._

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Myunggie is in another league_

**_Myunggie_**  
_I'll kill myself_

**_Donggie_**  
_Hahahahahaha!_

**_Hyun_**  
_=_=_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_Ahahahaha_

**_Ho_**  
_Cold blooded_

Sunggyu wore a big smile on his face as he tossed the phone off to the side after setting it to vibrate. He glanced at his clock and groaned. It was already past eleven and he still needed to shower. He very grudgingly got up and snatched up his sleepwear, heading off to the bathroom.

 

 

Sunggyu sat on the living room couch. His leg was moving on it's own, bouncing up and down due to his nervousness. His sisters were sitting around him – Aecha arrived earlier in the day thanks to a call made by Haneul. She called their sister in hopes of having her find a blazer that matched his recently ruined one – waiting excitedly for the clock to strike six. He wasn't sure how everything happened, but the entire family was waiting with bated breath. Throughout the course of getting ready and getting things done, his mom came up to him and demanded to know why he didn’t tell her about his date.

He couldn't even ask who told her before she was embracing him.

“I can't believe my boy is dating,” she said as she pulled away.

Is he nice? Do I know him? Is he handsome? Did  _ he _ ask you out? Where did you meet him? All of those questions came at him in a wave and he could only smile at his mom's worried face. He answered her questions as best and as patiently as he could.

To see her and his dad waiting with them was even more nerve wrecking. He told them that it wasn't necessary. It was just a date and that he wasn't his boyfriend, but they completely brushed him off. His mom wanted to see just how much that “little dirty kid” had grown. After countless reassurances by his own sisters, it still did no good. She wanted to see what kind of men her son was into.

That embarrassed the male half to death.

His dad found out via his mother and he was also sitting there. He didn’t say a word on the matter but he figured he was probably curious too... and it wasn't helping his nerves in the slightest.

He didn't want his parents to meet him because it would make it somewhat official. He wasn't entirely ready for that. He found himself glaring at Yeunja a couple of times. No one actually told him who let the news slip, but he was more than certain it was her. His sister had that in common with the second eldest. She sometimes just didn't know how to hold her tongue.

“He's running a bit late, don't you think?” His mother asked as she glanced at the clock. It was five minutes until the desired time and he still wasn't there. Sunggyu distractedly checked his pockets. His phone was in his right front pocket and as he patted himself down, he realized he didn't have his wallet.

“I'll be right back,” he said as he quickly stood to hurry upstairs.

He was feeling suffocated down there and it would be okay for him to be upstairs until he arrived, at least he thought so. Until he heard the doorbell ring as he reached his room. He cursed under his breath as he quickly searched his room with his gaze and found the leather material sitting under his T.V. He quickly snatched it up before heading back to the stairs. He stood up there for a few seconds and took a couple of deep breaths to dissolve the lead ball he felt form in the pit of his stomach. Once he exhaled for the last time he descended the stairs.

He was surprised to not hear a sound. He swallowed thickly as he peeked into the living room. His brows gathered as he noticed the lack of people. Only his eldest sister, Aecha, was keeping his date company. Junho immediately stood as he saw Sunggyu walk into the room. His older sister covered her mouth, hiding her smile as she turned away.

“Hi,” Junho spoke first.

He looked caught off guard. Well, it was a sudden and noticeable change to go from flaming red hair to black in a day. Sunggyu gave him his usual smile, the warm smile that graced his lips as of recently when he thought of him. The younger male was wearing jeans, a brown button-up shirt with the bottom half buttoned, and a regular white shirt underneath. It was simple but he pulled off that 'classy' look that Haneul, Yeunja, and Aecha lectured him on. His hair was styled in a slightly messy manner, but it suited him.

“Hi. I see you've met my sister,” Sunggyu said as he turned to his sister.

“You two could pass off as twins. You look so similar.”

Kim Aecha; the first child of the Kim family and the very first daughter. She was twenty-two and already a high ranking employee in the company their parents worked in. She wore a more sophisticated look and her hair was long and dyed a soft brown. Sunggyu looked almost exactly like her, except his eyes were smaller.

“We get that a lot, don't we?” Aecha asked her brother as she stood, “It was nice meeting you Junho. Please take care of our Sunggyu,” she bowed.

Junho quickly returned the gesture, bowing the required 90 degrees, “He'll be in good hands.”

She threw an impressed smile at Sunggyu before going towards him and patting him on the shoulder, “Good luck,” she whispered before disappearing into the hallway that led to the kitchen.

They stood in the living room for a couple of seconds, both without words to say before Sunggyu smiled at him again, “Should we get going?”

“Yeah...,” the older male felt his face become warm at the distracted answer he got. Junho was staring at him, as if he was looking at him for the first time in a long time, “You look... great.”

Sunggyu heard some badly concealed giggling coming from the place that Aecha disappeared off to. He immediately understood what was going on. Everyone ran off to the kitchen in order to eavesdrop on them.

“Thank you,” he answered. His face was probably beet red, it was definitely made worse by the snickering he heard coming from the kitchen.

“Let's go!” he said in hopes to cover up his embarrassment as he turned away, slipping his shoes on at the entrance, Junho following suit.

Sunggyu couldn't help the glance he threw next door, wondering if Woohyun was going to see him leave with Junho. To his relief, there was no one outside. He turned his attention to the other, letting him lead the way. What he saw parked in front surprised him. He didn't know much about cars but the one currently parked in front of him looked fancy. It was sleek and spotless and perfectly black, the windows were tinted and it added an important air to the car. It looked like it belonged in a magazine.

Holy crap.

Junho led the way, opening the door for him and inviting him inside the car. Sunggyu swallowed thickly as he did what he was told. It was odd to be sitting in such a luxurious car. The door closed and he turned to the house. He saw that the window's blinds were being messed with and he couldn't help the slight shake of his head as he saw everyone peeking out to see what was going on. He was glad the windows were tinted, at least they weren't going to see how embarrassed he was by all of it.

Junho entered the driver's seat and made himself comfortable before pressing a button, the car purring to life without much noise or movement.

“Wow, this is fancy,” Sunggyu couldn't keep his thought to himself.

Junho chuckled.

“Who's car is this...?” he asked out of curiosity. Surely something so expensive looking couldn't belong to him.

“Mine. My dad gave it to me for my birthday this year,” the male explained as he switched gears.

“Oh... I guess your family is doing a lot better now?”

“All thanks to my uncle. We owe him a lot.”

Sunggyu hummed. He didn't have anything else to add to that so he changed the subject, “Where are you taking me?”

“I had Jinki show me all over the place yesterday. I don't know what you like but I figured I couldn't go wrong with Korean food, especially considering where we are.”

“Jeolla does have the best,” Sunggyu agreed proudly.


	18. Shocking Unknowns

Sunggyu smiled politely as the waitress took the menus and headed out of the room, closing the hanji door behind her and leaving the two boys sitting in silence for a moment. To say that Sunggyu was nervous was an incredible understatement. He expected to be at a normal family restaurant, but he was brought to an upscale establishment that gave their patrons the privilege of getting their own room and an amazing view of the city that gave way to the countryside.

Their conversation didn’t once go stagnant, luckily. Junho was pretty good at finding things to talk about and Sunggyu found himself following the other along.

“There's something I've been wondering about. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that you took up dancing. What made you pick that up?” Sunggyu asked after their discussion of his hair color.

He explained that Haneul didn't remember what she mixed and in how many amounts to make his hair color such a beautiful red. So they decided to go with his natural hair color for a while and dyed his hair black. It was a compliment about how nice it made his skin look that made Sunggyu change the subject to Junho's current hobby.

“Taecyeon introduced me to it. He was a senior when I left here and entered high school in Ilsan. I wasn't the most popular kid in school, I mean, come on, you  _ saw _ me. I was actually bullied a lot.”

Sunggyu's mouth slightly opened in surprise, “That's horrible.”

Junho waved it off, “Taecyeon saw a couple of guys cornering me and before they could lay a hand on me, called me over. That guy was really popular, as in, all the girls loved him and most of the guys wanted to be him. He's tall, dark and handsome,” he joked, “... I figured I'd have to become like him to get anywhere.

He took me under his wing, is one way you can put it. I guess he felt some sort of responsibility over me? But I'm thankful for it. I joined the dance club he was in once I saw it. It looked like a lot of fun. We're actually pretty famous up in Ilsan for it.”

“Oh... Is he still dancing?” Sunggyu asked.

“Yeah... he's actually in a company training right now. They scouted a couple of guys in the group already but most decided to finish school before dedicating their lives to something like that.”

“Wow, that's amazing. Are you saying you're going to become an idol one day?” Sunggyu asked, amazed at how much the other accomplished in only two years.

“That... depends... I can't date if I'm an idol,” Junho stated with a smile.

“Oh...” Sunggyu realized what the other was implying and he turned away to look at the pretty view instead. Junho couldn't possibly be giving him the choice to make such a life altering decision for him.

“Sunggyu—” the younger male was interrupted by a knock, and soon after the doors slid open, revealing the waitress with another young woman who helped her place the plates on the table.

They stayed silent throughout all of it, the occasional thank you being said before the waitress left them to enjoy the meal. Needless to say, the moment was lost and an air of awkwardness took hold of the room.

“So, um, you seem to be really close to Woohyun.”

Sunggyu's gaze lifted from his plate. He was a little surprised to hear the other hesitate, but he was even more surprised to hear Woohyun's name.

“I guess?”

“Does he... like you?” Sunggyu's eyes widened before scowling.

“ _ Like _ me? What makes you think that? We're just friends.”

“Really? It's just that...he seems really comfortable with you,” Junho finished his sentence when he saw the questioning look Sunggyu was giving him.

“I wanna be that close to you too,” he lightly pouted.

“It wasn’t overnight, you know? I thought he was kind of stuck up, too much of a Romeo type.”

Junho laughed, “Really? Why do you say that?”

“He’s such a flirt. You should see him at school. He’s got all the girls going crazy for him. It’s kinda nuts. I never thought a new guy would bring so much commotion with him, and that’s not even counting how noisy those damn motorcycles are,” Sunggyu said animatedly, “…But he’s really a nice guy. Funny too.”

Sunggyu wasn't sure what to name the feeling that came over him when he realized it. He was spending time with Junho and yet he was talking excitedly about Woohyun. That couldn’t be right on a first date, or any date for that matter.

“Sounds like he’s kept you busy,” Junho smiled, “I’d like to make friends with him too.”

“I think you two would definitely get along,” Sunggyu agreed.

The younger male decided to change the subject, “So, you know how I told you about our dance group? Well, we were invited to a performance here in Jeonju.”

That definitely caught the raven haired male's attention, “Performance?”

“I'm sure you've heard of it. It's for the Last for One festival,” Junho tried to explain.

It took a moment for the light bulb to go off in Sunggyu and he gasped, “You mean you're performing at  _ the _ Last for One event?!”

“Yes,” he answered with a smile, “We were invited by the organizers. Something about being inspirations for the younger generations. Sounds poetic.”

Another fact that blew Sunggyu's mind. Junho said they were pretty good, but he didn't think it was to that level. Junho was going places that would, in time, make him restricted and quite possibly unattainable. A heavy feeling settled on his heart. Junho was building his life and if he was going to chase the dream of an idol, there was just no place for him in that world. He wouldn't be able to date, and even if he could get away with it there was no way he could date a guy. That wasn't something that was looked upon favorably in the first place.

“That's great!” Sunggyu praised anyway.

For now he'd try to enjoy the date he'd given Junho. He was going to try and not dwell on things too much. He knew he tended to over-think things but he couldn't help himself. He'd ignore that nagging in the back of his head.

“You'll come see it?”

“Is this your way of asking me out again?” Sunggyu teased lightly.

Junho smiled, his cheeks taking on a small tint of pink, “Caught red handed.”

Sunggyu merely laughed softly but didn't answer him. The younger male didn't let that deter him in the slightest. They began to eat in a comfortable silence, only broken by small talk over the food, both of them stealing glances when they thought the other wasn't looking.

It wasn't until they were eating their dessert, the table cleaned from the huge meal earlier, that Junho decided to ask the question that was bugging him since the day before.

“This Park Gyuri, what happened with her?”

“…Park Gyuri...,” Sunggyu repeated before looking up at Junho, “She's someone you shouldn't concern yourself over.”

“Why's that?”

“She  _ did _ give you her number in front of her boyfriend...”

“Yeah..., okay fair enough. So then should I throw this away?” He pulled out the folded piece of paper out of his pocket and threw it on the table.

Sunggyu recognized it without having to open it. Woohyun was right. Junho  _ did _ keep the paper.

“I told you to do what you want with it,” Sunggyu said as he returned his attention to the patbingsoo in front of him.

“Looks like you want to say something else.”

“Are you sure it's not just something  _ you _ want to hear me say?”

“Then say it for me.”

Sunggyu stared at the other for a couple of seconds. He knew what the other wanted. Junho wanted him to say to throw it away, to rip it to shreds and burn it, but he couldn't do that. He didn't have the right to forbid anyone from doing what they wanted (even though he did try a number of times but that's neither here nor there).

“Do what you want with it.”

“You're really stubborn,” Junho stated with a sigh.

“Surprise.”

“I like that.”

Sunggyu felt his face grow hot, “Shut up.”

 

 

Sunggyu was regretting mentioning he liked supernatural themed movies. He didn't do well with horror and the movie Junho chose was doing too good a job at scaring him. He couldn't count how many times he'd jumped and reached for Junho's arm. He resisted the urge to complain but he wasn't sure how much he could take before he jumped into the younger male's lap entirely.

He figured he'd reached his limit when the witch appeared in the woman's dreams and puked in the dreamer’s mouth. He gasped and started terribly, covering his mouth on instinct as he watched the scene unfold. It was enough to draw Junho's attention.

“Hey, are you okay?”

He nodded. He was just a bit squeamish and the scene just irked him in all the wrong places. He felt Junho take his hand. He allowed their fingers to slip effortlessly between each other. His attention diverted to their hands. Junho's hands were bigger than his. He couldn't help the warm feeling that spread from his hand. The simple gesture made it seem like it really was a date, like he was watching the required cliché scary movie with his boyfriend. He quickly diverted his thoughts back to the movie, and regretted it the moment he saw the lady coming out of the restroom, wiping her mouth clean. Junho must have felt him tense because he started stroking the back of his hand with his thumb, trying to reassure him.

It was startling to feel how effective it ended up being, even more so when he wasn't overwhelmed with the need to pull away from his touch.

The movie came to an end about forty minutes later. They walked out of the darkened theater hand in hand but Sunggyu pulled his away the moment he caught sight of people. He didn't want to draw any attention to themselves. Junho understood and said nothing as they made their way back to the car, the people around them chattering on about the movie as they did the same.

“What was that back there?” Junho teased as he led the way, “I thought you liked supernatural things?”

“How was I supposed to know it was going to be that intense?” the black haired male argued.

“Should have gone for that romantic comedy.”

“Ugh, no thank you.”

Junho laughed as he pulled the door open for the older male. Sunggyu shuffled in embarrassingly. He wasn't able to get Junho to stop that. It made him feel odd but he didn't want to say that to him. He'd probably never hear the end of it.

Junho climbed in shortly after and soon the engine turned on, giving way to a slight purr as the male pulled out of the parking lot. The ride was silent, the soft music wafting through the speakers as the two suddenly found themselves without words.

The senior kind of wished it stayed like that.

“Sunggyu?”

“Hm?”

“... Can I... hold your hand?”

He immediately felt his entire face burn before it spread throughout his body, “My hand...?”

“Yeah.”

Sunggyu knew he must have been blushing to his roots. He didn't know how to respond to that. He didn't want to but he didn't see why he shouldn't. It was a complicated emotion that even he couldn't comprehend. His lack of answer prompted some teasing from the other.

“Or do I need to scare you? Is that the only way you'll do it?”

“What? No!” the raven haired male said quickly. He didn't want to experience any scares in a car going 80 plus km/h on a highway.

Junho thought otherwise.

The car jerked suddenly to the side as Junho changed lanes. Sunggyu nearly yelped in surprise.

“Junho! This isn't funny!”

Another sudden jerk and Sunggyu was hanging on to the door handle.

“Hand?”

The dark haired male quickly reached out for Junho's unoccupied hand as he half-yelled, “This is blackmail!”

Junho only laughed as he held onto the other's hand, the ride becoming smooth again as the male steadied the wheel, “I think you meant coercion.”

“They’re both bad! This is the last time I'm riding in a car with you,” Sunggyu stated sourly. His only response was a soft squeeze of his hand and a chuckle.

 

 

Sunggyu bit his lip as he finally climbed out of the car, managing to move before Junho opened the door for him. He received a text message earlier. It was Haneul asking for his whereabouts. Apparently his mom was worrying her head off because it was late and they didn’t hear a word from him. He answered her quickly, telling her that he was on his way. He was hoping that was enough to calm her down. It probably didn’t work. The light of the foyer was on. Junho’s fingers slipped through his again and he glanced towards the Nam household. There was no one outside at all. It was late and a Sunday night, all of those with responsibilities were in bed at that time. He didn’t have to worry about being seen so he let himself relax.

“The event is this coming Saturday.”

“It is?”

“Yeah, so would it be okay to set our next date then?”

“Date…? You’ll be too busy, won’t you? I’d rather you not worry about it,” they climbed the steps up to the porch quietly.

The light was on as well and it illuminated them. Sunggyu pulled out his keys before setting his eyes on the other male and giving him a smile.

“Thank you, today was nice…,” he fiddled with his keys, “even though I probably won’t be able to sleep… scary possessions and even scarier driving being the cause.”

This made Junho chuckle. He pulled Sunggyu into an embrace meant to comfort, “I’m sorry. I’ll make sure the next one is a lot better.”

The senior stiffened for a moment, his arms trapped in between their bodies, but he relaxed when he realized how nice it felt. His body quickly became warm. All these new experiences were going to short circuit his brain and body. Everything was happening in too close intervals. He could only enjoy one for a short time before being hit with another. It was proven when he felt the other’s arms give him a small squeeze and he couldn’t help the small smile that graced his lips.

“So,” the male pulled away slightly, his arms still around the other, “Now can I have your number?”

“You just scared the life out of me and you’re expecting my number?” his face was a little serious, but it was only to tease the other.

But then the athletic male’s features turned serious too, “What can I do to make it up to you?”

Sunggyu’s heart started beating erratically when he noticed Junho’s eyes land on his lips. His whole body broke out into goosebumps at the implications of it. He took a step back only to realize that he was already standing against the wall and his eyes also moved down to the other’s full lips.

Was that how he was going to get his first kiss? Is that what he wanted? Why couldn’t he say anything? Why couldn’t he  _ think _ ?

_ “Mom! I think they’re back!” _

That was Haneul. 

It was his sister’s muffled voice that managed to get his motor skills working again and he lightly pushed the other away before upturning his hand. Junho stared at the hand, not fully processing the action until Sunggyu unintentionally giggled.

“Your phone?”

“Oh,” Junho chuckled in embarrassment before pulling his phone out and handing it to the older male.

Sunggyu wondered if the other was disheartened at being denied a kiss but he didn’t dwell on it, simply swiping the phone away from the lock screen and imputing his phone number. He handed the phone back soon after.

“Goodnight… and be careful.”

“I will. Goodnight.”


	19. Summer Mischief

“He almost kissed you?!”

Sunggyu shushed him, placing a long finger above his lips to signal him to keep it down. They were in his room sitting on the floor discussing the previous day’s events but he didn’t want anyone to hear. He didn’t tell his sisters and he wasn’t planning on telling them at all. Dongwoo covered his own mouth in realization before continuing in a quiet manner, “Are you sure?”

“It’s a guess, but I’m pretty sure.”

His friend laughed at his contradiction before speaking, “Wow, he’s the real deal, isn’t he?”

Sunggyu didn’t answer him, sighing instead.

“He’s performing at Last for One next week…”

“…What?! You mean…”

Sunggyu nodded, “He’ll be on stage performing a routine,” he cleared up.

Dongwoo gaped soundlessly for a couple of seconds before jumping on his best friend (not literally, of course), “We have to go see him! He’s already earned my approval but if he’s that good, you’re going to have to marry him!”

Sunggyu’s face changed to a disbelieving and confused one before speaking, “You know he’s not even my boyfriend yet, right?”

Dongwoo lightly rolled his eyes and dismissed him with a wave of his hand, “Details, details.”

Sunggyu huffed, “Who’s starting to sound like my sisters  _ now _ ?”

Dongwoo couldn’t help the giggle that escaped him at the accusation he once charged Sunggyu with.

“He invited me to go see him…”

“We can go together,” Dongwoo assured him, “You know I never miss this.”

“What would I do without you, Dongwoo?” Sunggyu teased before agreeing and continuing to tell him about the date he shared with Junho the day before.

Haneul and Yeunja already got the details from him so he was more or less left alone with his best friend. Of course, he didn’t tell the girls everything, like the hand holding, and the almost kiss at the end. He gave it some thought and he figured sharing his first kiss shouldn’t be such a big deal but he couldn’t help feeling that way. He wanted to be sure before he decided to hand something over rather than just “living the moment.”

“But anyway,” Dongwoo quickly changed the subject, “What did your mom say?”

Sunggyu sighed before grimacing at the words he was about to say, “You’re my son, alright. Our tastes are so similar.”

Dongwoo burst out laughing, “So she approves?” he managed to ask.

The dark haired male nodded, rolling his eyes, “She liked him. Aecha did too. They said he was really polite and handsome.”

“You’ve got all the approval you need,” his now blond haired friend said, patting him on his shoulder reassuringly.

“And it’s really burdensome. They’re expecting me to date him now… I don’t know what I want to do.”

“Isn’t it why you’re going out on dates? I understand that he’s liked, that’s bonus points for both of you, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to date him. You should do it because you like him. Don’t ride the rollercoaster if you’re scared, even if they saved you a seat.”

Sunggyu chuckled, “I’ve never heard that one before.”

“I just made it up,” his friend smiled.

“You’re right anyway… Thanks a lot Woo. I feel a bit better... Let’s play for a bit, I need some kind of distraction,” the dark haired male said as he crawled over to the T.V. to reach the console controls, “By the way, why did you go blond?”

“Kkotip wouldn’t get off my back otherwise,” Dongwoo stated with a huff, making Sunggyu chuckle.

Woohyun showed up later in the afternoon. He was texting with Sunggyu and after figuring out that the two friends were playing hermits all day, decided to join them. He didn’t show up empty handed, to their delight. Sunggyu was complaining about how he wanted some fresh strawberries and fruit in general to munch on. Woohyun took a picture of his fruit bowl and sent it to Sunggyu just to tease him. After much persuasion (a.k.a. begging) he decided he’d take some to him.

“Dongwoo,” Sunggyu called once he took a bite of the ripe and sweet strawberry.

The blond male gave him a quick glance before returning his attention to the match on screen, “What is it?”

“Have I told you that Woohyunnie is my favorite?”

His friend chuckled and shook his head, “Your favoritism changes more often than your underwear.”

Woohyun’s poorly contained laughter made Sunggyu blush, “The hell!” he said as he swatted the other behind his head, making him complain and Woohyun laugh even more. “I’m not giving you any of these,” Sunggyu muttered.

“Where’s the handsome one?” the dark haired senior asked soon after.

Woohyun scowled, “Are you calling me ugly?”

It was Sunggyu’s turn to try and hold in his sudden laughter, “I never said that!”

“That’s what you were implying…,” Woohyun said, his voice letting Sunggyu know that he wasn’t amused.

He watched as he moved away from him and grabbed the second controller, asking Dongwoo to let him join the next round. Sunggyu blinked at him, his playfulness subsiding. He found it a bit odd but he noticed that Woohyun took serious offense when his self was insulted. Just like when he was teasing him about his b.o. the other day.

Was he insecure? It was hard to believe such a thing. With such a handsome face and a body to die for, he had girls swooning left and right, how was it possible to be so offended by a few teasing words? Sunggyu chewed on another strawberry thoughtfully.

“Okay, go ahead and customize the fight, I’ll be right back,” Dongwoo announced before standing up and hurrying out of the room.

_ Bathroom run _ , Sunggyu thought as he turned his attention to the other male. He figured he may just as well apologize. He didn’t mean any harm by it.

“Woohyun?”

The junior didn’t respond.

“Woohyuuuun,” the older male dragged out the last syllable, trying to sound a little cute.

He stretched himself out on the floor on his stomach, peeking up at Woohyun from the floor. The younger male was anything but ugly. He couldn’t help but admire that perfect nose he was annoyed to discover what seemed to be so long ago. The sharp jaw was set and looked handsome even at that angle.

“Woohyun?” he asked again.

He smiled when the other gave him a glance, “I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean it like that.”

When he didn’t get a response he pouted, “Come on, you can’t be mad at your favorite.”

Woohyun snorted at this, “What makes you think you’re my favorite?”

“You brought me strawberries,” Sunggyu reasoned, propping his head up on his hand to look up at him more comfortably.

When he still didn’t get a response he decided to play the slightly annoying card. He got up on his knees, “Woohyuuuun, come on. Woohyun? Woohyu~n? Nam Woohyu~n?”

“Ahh, what?!” he finally snapped, turning his attention to the now dark haired male.

Sunggyu jerked back when he realized how close they were. He didn’t think Woohyun would turn his head. Luckily his reaction brightened Woohyun’s mood. He was now laughing at him. The older male simply shook his head before returning to his strawberries, throwing a butt of the fruit at him as a small form of revenge (which Dongwoo picked up when he returned).

Sunggyu didn’t move from his spot until the last red fruit was gone. He watched them play a couple of rounds. They were both evenly matched, Dongwoo being a little better at control than the other.

Sunggyu huffed out of annoyance. The game was fun to play but watching was a little boring. He quietly decided to sabotage either one’s game, just for the sake of it. And the perfect target was laying on his stomach, unkindly winning the match.

“Dongwoo~,” he cooed as he approached him.

The unsuspecting male only hummed, barely avoiding his character’s death in the game.

“Dongwoo-yah~,” Sunggyu tried again, “Give me a kiss~.”

That definitely caught both boys’ attention. 

“What??” Dongwoo asked.

The blond jerked back when he felt Sunggyu was too close.

“Hey! What are you doing?” he asked, his signature giggles taking over.

“I’m bored, so play with me,” Sunggyu said as he tried to land a kiss on the other’s cheek.

“Why don’t you go play with Woohyun!” Dongwoo was rewarded with a small pinch that made him yelp and laugh.

“Because it’s funny to see you struggle,” the dark haired male responded as he tried to pin down the arms that were pushing him back.

It was a few moments of teasing and pushing. Dongwoo knew Sunggyu would give up sooner than later so he put his all into resisting his playful best friend. He tried asking Woohyun for help but all he did was smile and watch them struggle amongst themselves. Sure enough, within a couple of minutes, Sunggyu retreated, claiming tiredness and proceeded to use Dongwoo as a human pillow.

“How’s your mom?” Sunggyu asked randomly after they settled down, “I haven’t been over in a while. She must be mad.”

“She’s doing good. Funny you should say that, she just mentioned you yesterday. She wanted to know if her food is that bad.”

Sunggyu laughed, “You’re the one saying that you’re coming over! I can’t even change your mind!”

“It’s not my fault you ask when my dad is home…,” Dongwoo pouted lightly.

“Alright, alright. Is your dad home now?”

“No… he left last Wednesday. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

“Your dad works out of town?” Woohyun asked, making himself known.

“Yeah. He’s a company rep. He helps conduct business all over Asia so he’s usually gone for weeks on end,” Dongwoo explained, filling in their newest addition to the group.

“Ohh,” Woohyun took in the new information and nodded.

“Hey, how come I never see your parents?” Sunggyu asked, turning his attention to the junior.

“Well… they work a lot… but actually they’re out on vacation right now.”

“Really? Without you and your brother?” the blond questioned.

_ “Woohyun!”  _ they heard the muffled yell come from somewhere inside the house.

“Yeah, it’s a long story.”

“Woohyun!” it was Choonyei, “Come play with us! Hoya is outside!”

“Hoya is?” Sunggyu asked no one in particular.

“I asked him to come over. It’s no fun spending summer vacation by yourself,” Woohyun said, following the younger sister before stopping at the door, “So you guys shouldn’t play hermits and come outside.”

They stayed still for a while, listening as the two that left closed the front door behind them.

“Should we go?” Sunggyu asked unnecessarily.

“Or you can stay in here. I’ll take pictures for you if you want,” the blond teased, earning him a smack on his thigh before both moved to head outside.

 

 

Maybe it was planned. No, it  _ was _ planned. The second they set foot outside they were bombarded with balloons. Water balloons. All they could do was gasp in surprise as they felt the cold water soak through their clothes. Their looks of shock prompted the culprits to burst out in laughter. Sunggyu stared at Haneul and Yeunja who were laughing hysterically at their misfortune. Woohyun wore a smug smile on his lips, Hoya matching him. Myungsoo was simply shaking his head with a smile on his lips, standing with the other younger kids as they watched it all unfold. Jinho was yelling excitedly as Choonyei snickered behind her hand.

Yes, it was definitely planned.

The dark haired male scanned the lawn and noticed different containers spread throughout their yard and the Nam’s. He noticed the water hose wasn’t too far from his feet. Judging by how wet the entire porch was, they used it to fill the balloons. He turned to look at Dongwoo who looked just as shocked as he did.

“This is war,” he stated before quickly reaching for the hose and pulling the trigger as soon as he touched it.

Everyone scattered but it was to no avail. They all ended up with some form of water damage. Shirts, shorts and shoes were soaked. Not even Myungsoo or the younger girls escaped the relentless spray of the water hose. Sunggyu only stopped his attack when everyone escaped too far from its reach. He pouted when he realized it before putting it down.

“Come on Dongwoo!” he yelled as he quickly jumped down the stairs to reach the container that he thought held more water balloons. He was right.

Dongwoo caught on quickly, reaching the one a little ways away. The rest of the group were prompted to move at seeing that, running to the scattered containers before taking some balloons and beginning the water balloon fight.

It started as seven against two but quickly turned into a free-for-all. Myungsoo was the first to attack the friendly fire, throwing a balloon at Woohyun. It turned chaotic with all the shouts and running and laughing. It wasn’t long before Hoya began to take hostages, sacrificing himself in order to get his victim completely soaked through. The first hostage was Yeunja. Hoya snuck up behind her and captured her, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her hands down as well. Dongwoo was second, thanks to Woohyun. Myungsoo was the third, courtesy of Woohyun as well. Haneul was taken hostage by Dongwoo who ended up letting her go halfway through because it was all just too funny for him.

Sunggyu laughed along as his older sister ran to take cover behind Choonyei.

“It’s Sunggyu’s turn!” Jinho yelled happily, jumping up in excitement.

By that point, Choonyei and Jinho were completely soaked as well, getting hit plenty of times in the crossfire either accidentally or intentionally. Sunggyu wasn’t dry either, but compared to everyone else, he might as well have been. His clothes stuck to his body sporadically but it wasn’t as bad as everyone else.

He looked around wearily, wondering if he’d be able to make it inside and somehow escape the punishment. They weren’t near the porch anymore like when they started out. They moved further and further away, reaching the containers that were still stocked with their chosen projectiles.

He decided to make a break for it. Unfortunately for him, he forgot he was dealing with a bunch of athletes. He was reminded when he felt someone tug on his arm, stopping him from getting any further.

“You can’t escape this one!”

“Let go! Myungsoo you’re my favorite, remember!”

The usually quiet teen laughed at Sunggyu’s attempt to escape.

“You said earlier  _ I _ was your favorite!” another voice complained.

Sunggyu could hear Dongwoo laughing in the background. All hopes of escaping diminished when Woohyun approached to help Myungsoo. With a brother on each arm, he was dragged back to the group who gathered the remaining two containers.

“Come on Myung, don’t do it!” Sunggyu kept saying.

“It’ll be fun,” the handsome sophomore said with a smile.

“It’s only fun when  _ I’m _ throwing the balloons!” 

It made them all laugh but neither boy lessened their grip. The dark haired senior resigned himself with a sigh. After a bit more teasing and a few false starts, the first balloon hit him and he lost count after he started feeling multiple hits at once. A few seconds into it he felt Myungsoo let go of him and he tried to pull away but Woohyun didn’t relent. So he did the next best thing, he used the older Nam brother as a shield, pulling him by the shirt to turn Woohyun’s back to the attack since his arm was trapped. And it worked like a charm, until Woohyun turned them around, holding him in place by completely trapping his arms against his chest.

It helped a little, since he wasn’t getting water to the face anymore. It was only a couple of seconds more before the balloons stopped. It all happened in less than 20 seconds, but both of them ended up completely drenched.

Sunggyu didn’t move a muscle, wondering if they were just waiting for him to turn around to nail him in the face. His forehead rested on Woohyun’s shoulder.

“Okay lovebirds, we’re done,” Yeunja stated, sounding really close.

They turned to look for her and found her inspecting Myungsoo.

“I’m really sorry, Myung. Does it hurt? I didn’t mean to hit your face.”

Sunggyu quickly pulled away from Woohyun and headed over to them. He turned Myungsoo’s head to face him and proceeded to inspect him as well, “Where did she get you? Does it hurt?”

“A little. She got my eye,” he explained.

“It doesn’t look bad. It isn’t even red,” he let go of the male and scolded Yeunja, “You need to be careful.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

It was Woohyun’s turn to inspect his brother and Yeunja pulled Sunggyu away, “But at least you got some action.”

Sunggyu was left to stare at his sister as she smirked smugly before leaving him to help Haneul, Hoya and Dongwoo pick up the mess.


	20. Lessons Taught

There wasn’t a moment in which Sunggyu would find himself bored during the beginning of their summer break. He was always occupied. If it wasn’t playing video games, it was playing with his sisters. He would occupy his free time with practicing his piano or simply strumming the guitar. He would text constantly, his phone never leaving his side as he went about his day. 

He did see Woohyun and Myungsoo often, but that was only because they were neighbors. Dongwoo stayed home for a couple of days and Hoya had his own plans. They dispersed for two full days, deciding to give each other some time to do absolutely nothing to their hearts content if they so wished. Or at least, Dongwoo and Hoya did because one persistent (and handsome) neighbor decided to bug Sunggyu to his own heart’s content.

And Wednesday was going to be no different. Sunggyu merely huffed when he saw him come into his room. He didn’t even knock anymore.

“What are you doing here?” the dark haired senior asked as he strummed a riff he learned the day before, “Go home.”

“I get bored at home,” Woohyun said as he took a pillow from the bed and threw it on the floor, laying down face up, hands under the pillow to be able to look at Sunggyu properly, “You entertain me.”

“Do I look like a clown to you?”

“A little?”

The junior let out a stifled laugh as he covered his face from the guitar pick that went flying his way. The dark haired male sighed as he stood, taking the acoustic guitar and placing it back on its stand. He stretched briefly, his body feeling tired after being hunched over the instrument for a while.

“Play the piano. I’ve never seen you play it,” it wasn’t exactly a question, Sunggyu could tell by the way the other said it. It was simple curiosity on the younger male’s part.

Sunggyu stared at Woohyun for a couple of seconds, wanting to say no, but decided there would be no harm in showing him a little bit (aside from the fact of looking cool in his eyes). He supposed a musician left anyone sparkly eyed.

“Fine, but get up from there.”

Woohyun smiled happily, getting up quickly and deciding to take a seat on the male’s neatly made bed. He watched as the other set up his area.

“What can you play? Can you do classical?”

“Of course I can. You can’t play the piano without knowing the classics,” Sunggyu stated matter-of-factly.

“Beethoven?”

“Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Bach… There’s actually a lot that I don’t know about still.”

“Play that really famous one by Beethoven,” Woohyun urged.

The older male pretended to think about it, “Hmm, ‘That really famous one…’,” he mumbled the makeshift title, “I don’t know that one,” Sunggyu teased, making the younger male blush lightly.

Woohyun was rather ignorant in terms of classical music, so it embarrassed him. The dark haired senior laughed before thinking for a second. It caught Woohyun by surprise when he heard the exact same song he was thinking of. 

“That’s the one.”

“F ü r Elise,” Sunggyu supplied helpfully, playing the song seamlessly, perfectly.

It was rather repetitive so he skipped a few measures, heading into the transition and making the other awe at his skills. The raven haired male smiled lightly as he glanced up, noticing the other’s eyes trained on his moving hands. He finished the piece soon after.

“That was great.”

Sunggyu smiled. He didn’t say anything as he started playing another piece. It was one that Woohyun heard before. It sounded a bit sad.

“Moonlight Sonata,” was Sunggyu’s response.

He played it quietly for a little bit before stopping.

“No one really recognizes anything other than the first movement but I really like listening to the third.”

Woohyun gave him a questioning look. He wasn’t sure about what the other was talking about. The senior chuckled a little before deciding to explain it a little.

“The piece is divided into three parts. The one I just played was the first,” he played a bit to demonstrate but quickly stopped, “This is the third.”

He took a second to adjust before the quick sounds of the piano filled the room. He played for a few moments before he completely messed up. It was so obvious that even Woohyun picked it up. The younger male laughed at Sunggyu’s embarrassment.

“That sounded really complicated,” Woohyun tried to console him.

“I’m not practicing as much as I should…,” the raven haired senior confessed randomly, playing a few notes before standing up abruptly, “But I really want you to hear this movement.”

Sunggyu grabbed his phone from the nightstand next to his bed, taking a seat next to Woohyun. He quickly pulled up a video, having it saved in his phone because it really was one of his favorite pieces. He also took the ear buds from his pocket and plugged them into the phone. He offered one side to Woohyun and he kept the other.

“Watch him play this too,” they sat close together, the younger male taking hold of the phone in order to watch it.

Sunggyu tapped on the screen and the video began. A few seconds later they could see an aerial view of someone with their hands positioned over a piano and almost immediately it started. Woohyun watched in awe as the fingers danced over the piano so seamlessly. Sunggyu managed to play that part twice before his fingers betrayed him, but this person on the small phone screen played it with absolutely no problems.

“Woah.”

Sunggyu giggled lightly at his response. He watched with him but not without sneaking glances at his expressions. The senior realized the younger male looked all too cute when he was in awe.

“One day I’ll be that good,” Sunggyu commented lightly before the piece was repeated.

Woohyun looked over to the other who was still concentrated on the video playing on his phone. Sunggyu felt his gaze but he didn’t turn to meet it. They were too close.

“Is music what you wanna do?”

That prompted the other to move away and sigh, “I’ve never given it actual thought. Music is just something I like to do for fun. It releases stress,” Sunggyu explained, leaning back against his hands. “Don’t you have something like that?”

“I do,” Woohyun set the phone aside and turned his body in order to see Sunggyu, “I’m more physical, I usually spend some time exercising and it tires me enough to not worry about anything.”

“Just thinking about exercising stresses me out,” Sunggyu said seriously but it only caused the younger male to laugh.

“Then play something else for me. What else can you play?”

“I really am here to entertain you, aren’t I?” he said as he stood, going back to the piano to sit.

It was a matter of seconds before he started playing something slow and calm but it was enough to have Woohyun smile widely. He recognized the song. It was Nell’s Slip Away. It was a simple melody, one that he managed to learn fairly quickly but it was always soothing to hear.

“You’re not gonna sing?” Woohyun asked over the piano.

Sunggyu looked up and listened to the timing before opening his mouth, “No,” and stopping completely. He proceeded to laugh his head off at how Woohyun’s expectant expression fell to that of an annoyed one.

“You’ve already heard me sing once and that’s one time too many,” Sunggyu chuckled as he stood and began to put his equipment up.

He wasn’t going to sit there and play piano jukebox for the younger male, no matter how amazed and impressed the other looked to be with him. He’s a lot more at ease playing the piano by himself than with an audience.

“Where’s Myungsoo?” he finally asked as he put away the chair under his desk.

“Downstairs. He was playing with Jinho,” the younger stated as he pulled one of the numerous pillows from the headboard.

He laid at the foot of the bed, his feet touching the ground as he placed the pillow under his head.

“Your brother is slowly taking my sisters away one by one,” the dark haired senior commented as he also made himself comfortable. He laid back normally with his right leg under his left one, the left dangling off the side of the bed since he couldn’t stretch out. Woohyun was taking the bottom half of his bed after all.

“It’s not my fault you’re such a lazy guy.”

That earned him a pillow to the face. Woohyun laughed as he removed the pillow and hugged it to his body.

“It’s not my fault I’m not a muscle head like you two.”

“These are weapons of choice, okay?” the junior defended as he pointed to his arms, his face all too serious.

“Okay, I get that they’re called guns, but you’re being ridiculous,” Sunggyu stated, kicking the other’s leg with no real intention to hurt him.

“Why do you hurt me so much? I’m covered in bruises! You punched my arm yesterday, you know it hurts to move it?”

Sunggyu scoffed before laughing at the junior. He couldn’t help but laugh when the other was around. He was always saying or doing things that brought a smile to his face. He couldn’t really say he was tired of the younger male because it was always fun to simply hang around him.

“You’re such a baby, seriously. What’s the point of having those muscles if you can’t take a little pain?”

“I’m a hedonist. I don’t like violence.”

“Narcissist seems a better fit,” Sunggyu mumbled. He gave Woohyun a smile when the male asked him to repeat himself before speaking again, “I’ve worked out before and I distinctly remember being sore a couple of days after. How is that being a hedonist?”

“It’s only at the beginning. If you exercise daily, your body will get used to it,” he took the pillow he was hugging and also placed it behind his head, raising his body up higher than before.

Sunggyu felt his heart rate speed up as Woohyun pulled his shirt up, exposing his taught skin and those abs that he boasted so much about. Despite all that, Sunggyu has only seen them once, and it was the morning that felt like so long ago already. He couldn’t help the slackening of his jaw as he watched a little too intently how the owner of the well kept body ran his hand over them. He was saying something, Sunggyu could hear his voice but it sounded like gibberish. His skin broke out into goosebumps, realizing that this handsome guy was laying on his bed showing off.

“…Gyu? Do you?”

The senior’s attention snapped up and he nodded absently, “Uh, yeah,” he answered, not wanting to let the other know that he didn’t hear a single word.

“You do? What is it called?”

Sunggyu stared at the male for a couple of seconds and was flustered when Woohyun’s questioning expression quickly changed and a bout of laughter escaped him.

“If you don’t know, why did you say yes?”

Sunggyu felt his face growing hot, “Sorry,” he dragged and opted to hide his embarrassment with sarcasm, “I guess I didn’t hear you over your  _ sexy _ .”

“Admitting to it finally? Wait until Hoya hears this,” Woohyun teased.

“Oh shut up,” Sunggyu retorted simply before returning to their previous topic, “What did you ask?”

“Do you know why we have these lines that form the abs?”

“Oh… no I don’t,” he answered, trying to keep his gaze on Woohyun’s face even after he turned away from him.

“This line here,” the junior glanced up at older male, “look,” he demanded when he noticed the other wasn’t paying attention to where he was pointing, “This line is the linea alba, it’s basically a tissue that connects both sides of the abdomen. It’s not exactly muscle so it doesn’t buff up like the rest, giving us the division right between the six pack.”

Sunggyu nodded, his brows up high as he watched Woohyun run his finger up and down said line.

“Here, give me your hand?” the athletic male asked, extending a hand as he sat up from the bed.

“What? Why?” Sunggyu asked, perplexed and leaning back, but Woohyun moved forward and took one of the male’s pale wrists.

Sunggyu tried his best to concentrate on what Woohyun was saying but the reasons behind why abs look like they do didn’t interest him as much as the actual skin Woohyun was making him touch. It was soft, and warm, a light press revealed it to be rock hard, and Woohyun’s sun-kissed skin contrasted with his lighter skin.

“It actually connects all the way down to our pelvis but,” he held Sunggyu’s hand just above his belly button and turned to the male, a teasing smile on his lips but his smile faded when he realized how close Sunggyu was leaning in.

The senior swallowed visibly before turning to look at the younger male who suddenly stopped talking. They were close enough to barely register the other in their personal space but Sunggyu took that opportunity to slip his hand from the other’s grip before pulling back completely.

“I didn’t know any of that,” there was an uncomfortable atmosphere settling in, or maybe it was Sunggyu’s imagination, but he continued to act normally when Woohyun let his shirt fall to cover him up, “I guess it’s not as important to know why, but to admire the end result.”

He wasn’t really sure if what he was saying was making sense, but his thoughts were all jumbled up. Woohyun’s absentminded nod didn’t help the odd atmosphere that was settling over them so the senior stood.

“I’m gonna go get something to drink. Do you want something?” he made his way towards the closed door.

“Uh, just water is fine,” Woohyun answered as he pulled his phone out.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Sunggyu hurried out of the room, taking a deep breath when he was no longer in the enclosed space with the younger male. He took the hand that Woohyun was holding and gave his fingers a light squeeze. 

Why did Woohyun catch his fingertips at the end?


	21. Impossible

“Sunggyu~!” Dongwoo yelled cheerfully as he opened the door to his best friend’s room.

What he saw unsettled him a bit. Sunggyu was on his stomach clutching a pillow to his face, completely unmoving. Dongwoo sighed as he closed the door behind him, “Ok what’s up? I leave you alone for two days and you’re already trying to smother yourself.”

When his best friend still didn’t so much as twitch he began to worry, “Sunggyu, get up!” he spanked the other’s butt. That was enough for the other to start and glare, his hand going to soothe the pain away.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

Sunggyu dropped his head into the pillow again before pushing himself up, sitting cross legged as he gained Dongwoo’s full attention. He took a deep breath, “I’m just…” he exhaled, “confused.”

“About what?”

Sunggyu stared off into space for a moment before rustling his hair into a disorganized mess, “Woohyun is just so…!”

Dongwoo laughed, “So what? Handsome? Sexy?”

“ _ Please _ don’t help me out here,” the dark haired male grimaced, “He annoys me so much!”

“What did he do?”

So Sunggyu proceeded to explain the situation of the day before. Dongwoo sat there listening to him, assessing the situation on his own. Sunggyu was a very rational person – Dongwoo knew this – so he didn’t really know why something like Woohyun’s simple touch would work him up in such a way. After a moment of silence passed between them, Sunggyu sighed.

“I know. I’m pretty stupid aren’t I? …Getting worked up over nothing. I’ll just pretend like it never happened.”

The blond male sighed in turn, unable to give his friend the input he was waiting for. He decided to change the subject instead, “Have you been talking to Junho?”

The smile that graced the other’s lips made him smile as well. He went from aggravated and annoyed to happy and radiant. He could just see the brightness from his smile and he teased him about it. It only made the dark haired senior blush and smile more.

“He sent me a message earlier. He said he wanted to see me,” Sunggyu confessed embarrassingly,  _ that he missed me _ , he added in his mind.

“Are you sure you’re not dating?”

“We’re not!”

“My sisters’ boyfriends are always texting them stuff like that,” Dongwoo supplied helpfully, shrugging his shoulders as a way to take the other’s light glare off of him, “Are you meeting him?”

“No… he said the rest of the dance crew arrived and they were practicing these last two days for Saturday’s performance,” the dark haired male explained.

“Aren’t you excited?” Dongwoo asked, a teasing smile gracing his lips as he pushed the dark haired male playfully.

Sunggyu rocked back and forth, his lips stretching into a cute, small smile, “I think you’re more excited than me. Is Hoya coming today, too?”

“Yes, we’re all meeting at Woohyun’s again.”

“Ah… we’re watching that show again, aren’t we?” Sunggyu asked, a small grimace overcoming his soft features.

“Yeah… might as well enjoy it,” Dongwoo shrugged, pretending to be conflicted with the event as well.

Sunggyu saw right through it and spoke with pseudo admiration, “Oh wow, it’s such a great sacrifice!” before hitting the other on the arm, “I know you’re only doing it because Hoya’s there, you scaredy cat.”

Dongwoo proceeded to laugh before standing up, “Let’s go outside. Your sisters were playing hopscotch when I came in.”

The dark haired male groaned at the thought of jumping around. He resisted the tug that his friend gave his wrist.

“Come on! Knowing you, you probably haven’t set foot outside your room these past two days. You need some sunshine in your life! You think Junho will like a sickly looking guy like you for long?” Dongwoo said as he tried getting the other up.

“But he said he liked it!” he tried to argue. He immediately regretted it when Dongwoo let him go.

Before his best friend got a chance to tease him, they heard someone yell from downstairs, “I’m going to the store,” it was his sister, Haneul, “you guys want anything?”

Sunggyu only contemplated it for a moment before yelling back, “Ice cream!”

“Dongwoo?”

“Same!”

“’Kay, I’ll be back!” she yelled.

Both heard her climb down a couple of steps and Sunggyu used the opportunity to escape, practically running down the stairs. He heard Dongwoo a couple of steps behind him but he was far enough away for him to reach the outside freedom, where they couldn’t speak of it.

He ran out of the house and nearly ran into his eldest sister who managed not to fall over at the sudden push. He tried to hold in his laughter as he kept her in his embrace, keeping her from toppling over, “Sorry.”

“Hey come play!” Jinho yelled excitedly as she saw the two boys come out of the house with such a commotion.

The ten year old jumped towards them excitedly, practicing her jumps for the hopscotch they drew on the walkway. She hugged Dongwoo as she reached him on her last jump, giggling happily when the male hugged her back.

“Who’s winning?” the blond male asked.

“The master of course,” Yeunja supplied as she got in position to go again.

“You’re only one number ahead of me!” Choonyei, the thirteen year old said with a pout. She didn’t like losing very much and she was getting impatient.

Yeunja completely waved her off as she tossed the stone and exclaimed in victory as it landed exactly where she needed it, “You’re going down Choonyei!”

“So, I heard your date went well,” Aecha commented as she climbed up the porch to sit on the railing.

Sunggyu blushed, not sure how to feel about being asked by the sister he respected the most. It was a little weird, “Yeah…he’s really nice.”

“That’s good. Just remember to always think everything through, okay?”

“Aecha!” he exclaimed, his face turning a bright red as he realized what she was implying.

Dongwoo started giggling in the background as his oldest sister let out a hearty laugh. Most of the afternoon was spent teasing and playing amongst the eldest siblings and Dongwoo with the Nam neighbors joining them a little later.

 

“She threatened to hurt Yeunja!” Woohyun exclaimed before taking a bite of the ice cream drumstick he had been offered by Haneul when she arrived.

Choonyei wasn’t too interested in the ‘grown-up talk’ that her older siblings usually engaged in, so she kept Jinho company along with some other neighborhood girls that went over to play. The three eldest sisters took the porch swing while Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun and Myungsoo all sat around them, all eating some type of frozen treat.

“Hurt?!” She exclaimed as she turned to look at her sister in worry.

“I’m fine, nothing happened,” Yeunja reassured her.

“Yeah, especially after Woohyun taught her how to throw a punch,” Dongwoo added teasingly.

“He did what?”

“I-It’s a good thing to know! I mean, it’s a good way to defend yourself, at least,” Woohyun tried to justify, his face flushing lightly at the attention the eldest sister was giving him.

“Well… I guess that’s true…” Aecha agreed as she took a bite from the popsicle.

“I could teach you too, if you’d like…,” Woohyun offered, his smile wide.

Sunggyu stood abruptly, glaring at the junior before turning to go inside. It was impossible to not notice it, especially when his sisters were paying very close attention to his reactions. It was obvious how much Woohyun liked Aecha. His face lit up when she was around and he became very attentive. It wasn’t his sister that he was annoyed with, but Woohyun himself. He was sure he made it clear to the younger male that she was married. He couldn’t ignore the charming smiles, the way he looked at her, the way he let her have his undivided attention.

Why was he allowing himself to get so jealous?

He entered the kitchen and threw his half-finished ice cream away. His sweet tooth turned sour. He continued on to the glass doors that led outside to the back porch and stepped outside, closing the door behind him. He couldn’t explain the feeling churning in his stomach but it made him feel completely uneasy. The raven haired male sighed as he plopped down ungracefully on a patio chair, his right hand holding his head up. 

His phone went off, announcing he received a message. He hesitated for a moment before deciding to pull the device out. His foul mood melted away when he saw the name, a fond smile replacing it instead.

**_Junho_**  
_hey_  
_what are you up to?_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_hi_  
_not much. What about you?_  
_are you still practicing?_

**_Junho_**  
_we were, just finished actually_  
_but I wanna see you_

Sunggyu felt his face grow hot and a warm feeling registered in his chest.

**_Sunggyu_**  
_but aren’t you tired? you should rest_

**_Junho_**  
_haha you don’t wanna see me, huh?_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_I do want to!_

Sunggyu was embarrassed at how quickly he wrote and sent the message but he really wanted to see him.

**_Sunggyu_**  
_but if you’re tired…_

**_Junho_**  
_will you be home later?_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_yes_

**_Junho_**  
_then I’ll see you in a while_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_alright_

Sunggyu smiled warmly at the messages, his previous annoyance and jealousy completely replaced by the mere words of one person. He sat there for a few moments before deciding to shower. He was jumping around with his sisters on a hot day so he was anything but clean at the moment. He didn’t want to meet Junho that way either.

“Oh, there you are! I searched all over the house! Are you okay?” Yeunja asked as soon as he set foot inside the house.

“I’m fine,” he scowled at her, as if the suggestion of anything else was crazy.

His sister stared after him as he walked out towards the hall that led to the stairway, “Woohyun really likes Aecha, doesn’t he?”

Sunggyu hummed, “It’s just not meant to be,” before continuing on his way.

Yeunja was left to wonder if he was only talking about Woohyun’s affection towards Aecha.

Dongwoo found him as he was climbing the stairs but didn’t say anything at all, not even when they reached Sunggyu’s room and the dark haired male was busy pulling out a fresh change of clothes. His best friend didn’t know what to say. Sunggyu seemed pretty calm after walking out so suddenly.

“Do you still want to go to Woohyun’s?”

“…Actually—” his response was cut off by his phone that signaled an incoming message.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and saw the message.

**_Junho_**  
_the guys want to go out to eat. it’s gonna be a bit longer, okay?_

Dongwoo kind of understood the moment he saw the smile form on his lips.

“Yeah, I’ll go,” he answered his blond friend as he answered the message.

Thirty minutes later and they were making their way to the Nam’s household, Sunggyu’s mood completely uplifted. Aecha left not long after her younger brother abruptly excused himself. She was waiting all week to hear about the date the senior had the past Sunday and got the scoop from her sisters. That was the real purpose of her visit. 

The fact that Sunggyu nursed a crush on Woohyun wasn’t new to her either. Yeunja was very kind as to let her know the first chance she got. She was unable to spend any time with the new neighbors beside the occasional wave when she visited so she was curious as to what would have attracted her brother. It wasn’t hard to realize he was a real charmer.

Sunggyu sighed the moment they were outside the door. The last words his sister said to him filling him with false hope. ‘This one would be a good catch too.’

Sunggyu could sense Dongwoo was a bit uneasy. He probably wanted to ask something but was debating about bringing it up. The dark haired senior had a pretty good idea about what it could be. He sighed before speaking.

“Woohyun really likes my sister, doesn’t he?”

Dongwoo bit his bottom lip, not sure if he should respond or not, instead settling his answer with a thoughtful hum.

“I guess that’s another thing we both have in common, isn’t it?”

His friend turned to him, unsure of what he was talking about. They reached the Nam’s porch already and Sunggyu had knocked on the door.

When Dongwoo realized the male wasn’t going to elaborate, he asked, “What do you mean?”

Sunggyu could only smile half-heartedly, “We shoot for the impossible.”


	22. An Invite

“Sunggyu, someone’s looking for you!” Myungsoo called out as he walked into the living room.

The dark haired male was laughing heartily at a joke the junior, who was resting his head on his lap, just told. The older male didn’t know how Woohyun did it but even though he was really hurt and a little mad at him, the younger male found a way to snake back into his good side. Not only was he making him laugh he was also resting his head on Sunggyu’s lap. They took over the chaise section of the couch while Dongwoo and Hoya took the normal couch. Maybe it was just impossible to stay mad at an idiot, he wasn’t completely sure yet. 

He didn’t have a chance to question who could be looking for him as he saw the person walk in a few paces behind the younger Nam brother. His eyes widened in surprise. He completely forgot that he was meeting Jinki’s cousin. Junho was showing him a smile, but it wasn’t as wide as usual.

The newcomer received a collective greeting as they caught sight of him.

“Hey what’s going on? Movie night?” he asked, “And I wasn’t invited? You guys are low.”

“Hey hey, Sunggyu was telling us you were busy practicing for the weekend,” Hoya spoke up.

He smiled widely at that, “Ah, he mentioned it?”

“Sure did. We can’t wait to see you Saturday, man,” Dongwoo said enthusiastically, “I didn’t even know you danced!”

“Yeah… it’s something I picked up recently. Don’t worry, Dongwoo. I’ll teach you some moves,” he said, smiling charmingly.

“I’ll hold you to that!” Dongwoo returned the smile.

“But anyway, can I borrow Sunggyu for a few?”

“Did you text me?” he asked, his hand going to his pocket to pull his phone out.

“No, I decided to come quickly, since it’s getting late… So, can I?”

“Yeah,” he answered, patting the younger male’s head to get him to move.

Woohyun did so before pulling himself up to sit where the older male was, watching as they both disappeared into the threshold; the sound of the front door opening and closing being the only sign of them leaving the house.

 

 

“You should’ve text me. I would have let you know where I was,” Sunggyu said as soon as the door shut behind him.

“I wanted it to be a surprise.”

A small smile graced his lips at that. They took a seat on the beautiful dark wicker loveseat, both slightly facing each other. The Nam’s porch furnishings were much more lavish than the Kim’s old swing (and fairly new – the couch, loveseat, and arm chair complete with coffee and side tables had been delivered a few days ago – but even then, the Kim porch was their meeting grounds). The loveseat was plush, the white cushions were lined with baby blue accents that stood prettily against all the dark wood and dark wicker around it. He didn’t really have a chance to try them out but he found them quite comfortable.

“Who told you I was here?” he asked, taking a dark blue square pillow and placing it above his lap, his fingers pulling at the corners.

He was nervous, and he needed his hands to be busy with something.

“Yeunja did…”

There was a moment of silence that passed between them, and Sunggyu could feel Junho’s eyes on him as his gaze continued to watch his own hands pull at the pillow.

“Should I not have come?” he finally asked.

It’s enough to make Sunggyu lift his gaze in a hurry, “No! No… Sorry it’s just…”

_ The way you look at me makes me nervous _ , he thought silently.

“I thought I was ready to see you again.”

“…Ready to see me again?” Junho asked, a smile stretching his full lips. He laughed lightly, “Is that a good thing?”

Sunggyu’s face grew hot. He felt his cheeks heat up. Why was his brain to mouth filter so selective? He laughed shyly, not sure how to respond and afraid to say something embarrassing again.

Junho watched the smiling face for a moment before speaking again, “I missed you a lot.”

“We message each other everyday!”

“True enough,” his gaze lowers to Sunggyu’s hand and his own is already moving to take it in his, “But I can’t do this over text.”

The senior moved his left hand, allowing their fingers to slip between each other’s effortlessly. It’s such a nice feeling. Warmth seeps into his body, starting from the simple touch and spreading across his every being. He sighs unknowingly, has he missed the feeling that much?

“I didn’t have to scare you this time,” Junho joked and Sunggyu laughed at him softly.

“How are you feeling? Aren’t you tired?”

“Yeah, a bit. We’ve been practicing non-stop the whole week. I fell Monday and apparently I lost consciousness for a few minutes.”

“Lost consciousness?!”

“Yeah, I wasn’t concentrating and the distraction really messed me up.”

“But you’re okay now, right? What kind of dancing are you doing?”

“It’s a little bit of acrobatics…but it was my fault,” his unoccupied hand went up to soothe the area just above the nape of his neck, “It wasn’t too bad. I could have fractured my spine, but all I have is a little bump.”

Junho led the hand he was holding to touch the said area. Sunggyu felt softly about, “Does it still hurt?” 

“A little bit.” 

Indeed he could feel a little bump under the soft hair, “How can you be so calm about it? It could have been serious.”

“But it wasn’t, so it’s okay.”

Sunggyu withdrew his hand but it wasn’t long before Junho’s own went to find it again.

“Since you’re denying my date Saturday,” Sunggyu sighed exasperatedly at Junho’s teasing remark, “how about you come to a party we’re having tomorrow then?”

“A party?”

“Yeah, we’re still practicing most of the day but Jinki said it was okay to throw a little party to let us relax, and since it’s summer and he owns a pool…” he let the sentence hang in the air for a little bit, mostly waiting for Sunggyu’s response with his best eager and pleading face.

“So it’s a pool party?”

“Yeah.”

“Your friends that I met that time, are they gonna be there?”

“Yes…”

“Are you inviting the guys?” Sunggyu asked, not wanting to be the only person that didn’t know Junho’s friends.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Oh, well then okay. Yeah I’ll go.”

Junho smiled teasingly, “Did you want it to be just us? We can go out if you want.”

“What! I didn’t say that!”

The younger male chuckled, “Okay, okay. We’ll do the pool party…” he said in mock disappointment which was wiped away with a small push from Sunggyu.

“What did you do all week?”

 

 

“He’s been gone for a while, hasn’t he?” Hoya said when he realized the show was about to end and they were missing a person.

“Yeah, I’ll go—”

“Wait… he sawed his hand off? You mean he actually did it?” Dongwoo asked as the episode came to an end.

“Yes, he did. Can you imagine all the blood and the skin and bone he had to—”

“Woohyun control your brother!” Dongwoo yelled as he jumped the younger male, trying to cover his mouth to keep the vivid imagery from escaping the mouth.

Woohyun smiled as he quickly vacated the couch. Myungsoo was losing the battle and they were going to fall over on top of him. He watched them for a few seconds before deciding to go check on Sunggyu and Junho. He wondered if he’d even find them outside anymore.

Sunggyu was listening to Junho tell him about how one of the guys from the dance crew got turned down coldly at the restaurant they went to have dinner when they heard the door handle move. It was instinct for Sunggyu to pull away from Junho’s hand, turning to look at who was exiting the house.

Junho didn’t say anything, instead pulling his hand back to keep it from looking awkward.

“Is the show over?” Sunggyu asked.

“Yeah, you missed it,” he said as he took a seat on the sofa that was right next to the door. The loveseat was perpendicular to it and its back faced Sunggyu’s home.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to take that long,” Junho apologized to the dark haired senior.

“It’s alright. They like watching the show. I’m just here for the free food.”

Woohyun scoffed, “That’s harsh. I thought it was because you liked me.”

Sunggyu barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, opting instead to throw a pillow at the younger male. It was easily caught, to his dismay. But he found he couldn’t turn to look at Junho. He was afraid the other male would see some truth in that statement.

“So what’s up, man? What’s good?” Woohyun asked.

“Not much. I’ve been working my ass off for that performance Saturday. I had a little accident but it’s good. What about you? Are you guys still having those skirmish matches?”

“Nah, we’ve been hanging out here. You should come over more often, we all usually hang out with Sunggyu.”

“Really? What do you guys do? Nerd out over Nell?”

“What are you trying to say? That I have no life outside of Nell? Huh?” Sunggyu asked as he pushed the other away.

Junho laughed, “No. I’m just trying to figure out what he’s into. I’m trying to make a new friend here!”

Sunggyu merely gave him a side eyed judging look before speaking, “Ok proceed.”

Both guys laughed before Woohyun spoke, “Did you know this guy is really lazy?”

“Lazy?”

“What?” Sunggyu squawked.

“Yeah, he hardly ever plays with his sisters. My brother has pretty much taken over the older brother role from him.”

“You guys need to get your own sisters,” Sunggyu said a little sourly, of course it was all just an act.

“He’s like a mountain hermit. He hardly ever leaves his room and is always playing video games.”

“No I don’t! That’s slander!”

“I practically have to drag you out! Like that day with the water balloon fight!”

Sunggyu was unable to retort as they heard a sudden yell come from the inside of the house.

“Woohyun! I told you to control your brother!” It was Dongwoo.

They heard a muffled Myungsoo laughing in the back. Sunggyu smiled at hearing the other laughing so heartily but his smile turned into surprise when Dongwoo punched him on his arm.

“You wouldn’t be laughing if you saw what I saw! You traitor!”

“What? Why am I being blamed for this?” Sunggyu asked, a smile taking over yet again as he took in his best friend’s flustered appearance.

“Because you abandoned me with these sickos!”

“Hey now,” Hoya complained as he took a seat next to Woohyun.

“Well then blame Junho!”

“What?” the dancer asked, surprised to have been brought into the argument.

Luckily Dongwoo ignored the blame being placed on Junho and glared at Sunggyu before kicking his shoes in a playful manner and standing by the porch stairs. Myungsoo came out not long afterwards and stood by the door. If he wanted to sit he’d have to walk around the coffee table and pass Dongwoo and he was sure the senior was going to hit him somewhere so he stayed put.

“Sunggyu told me you’ve been practicing all week. Are you ready for Saturday?” Dongwoo asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be. I asked Sunggyu to come along. You guys are welcome to, too.”

“I demand front row seats,” Hoya spoke.

“It’s free standing,” Dongwoo reminded him.

They both attended the event, although it was a few years since the last time they actually went together. Dongwoo always ended up dragging Sunggyu along even if he complained about how hot it was or how tired he’d be at the end of it.

“Damn it,” he cursed all too seriously, causing the other’s to laugh.

“You run for hours on end playing soccer but you don’t want to stand?” Dongwoo asks. There’s a teasing smile on his face.

“Hey, that’s different! I’m building my stamina when I run! Standing around just tires me out.”

That definitely caused laughter to erupt from all mouths. Woohyun took the pillow he caught from Sunggyu earlier and hit Hoya on the head with it. Hoya only laughed along, enjoying being the cause for their laughter before they all settled down again.

“Well, actually, I came to invite you guys to a party we’re throwing tomorrow at Jinki’s place.”

“Oh, pool party?” Dongwoo asked excitedly, “Is the whole crew going to be there?”

“Yeah! We’re all really excited about participating in the event so we thought we should celebrate.”

“Yeah, definitely count us in,” Hoya answered for everyone.

Junho was satisfied with that before checking his phone for the time, “I should probably get going. Still have to get up early tomorrow for the last round of practice,” he stood from his seat, Sunggyu following suit, “I’ll see you guys tomorrow then. I’ll text Sunggyu the details!”

A round of collective goodbye’s followed suit as he walked down the walkway with Sunggyu a step behind.

“Be careful,” Sunggyu finally said as they reached the sidewalk.

“I will,” he took a step or two before turning around again, “Oh, before i forget! Don’t wear anything too revealing tomorrow.”

Sunggyu gave the younger male a confused look before he caught on to what he was saying, “What, are you expecting me to show up in a two piece swimsuit?”

Junho’s eyes widened before his eyes trailed down Sunggyu’s body. Sunggyu was scandalized at the action. He hit the male on his arm before pushing him to get him to get moving, “Weren’t you leaving!” it wasn’t even a question.

But Junho started laughing before turning around to take hold of the hands that were pushing him away. Sunggyu tried to keep a straight face but watching him laugh like that made him laugh along with him.

“You’re so strange,” he said between breaths.

“You’re the strange one! Stop laughing!”

It looked like Junho tried but then he’d imagine Sunggyu wearing a two piece swimsuit and would start to laugh again. The dark haired senior tried to free his hands but it was to no avail.

“Can you—can you imagine all the guys in—in two piece swimsuits?”

And that’s when they both completely lost it. Dongwoo watched them from the porch with a fond smile on his face as they practically fell from laughter. The other three were looking at the two like they suddenly went crazy.


	23. Slight Mishief

"Sunggyu hurry up! We're waiting on you!"

"I'm going!" he answered as he took his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. He ran out of his room to meet up with his sister downstairs. Yeunja was invited as well and while she was uncertain at first (she heard from Sunggyu that the invitation was extended to the soccer team too), she ended up agreeing.

"Have fun kids! Yeunja, take care of your brother, okay?" their mom yelled playfully from the living room.

The rest of their siblings were with her as well. They were skipping out on family night to go to the party after all.

"Mom!" Sunggyu groaned, feeling his face getting hot.

Haneul, Yeunja and Dongwoo's laughter was heard loud and clear

"Dongwoo you better look after my kids, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am!" he answered before he was pushed out of the house.

"Don't worry, Gyu. I got your back," Yeunja giggled before barely escaping Sunggyu's swat to her back.

He rolled his eyes at the two that were whispering among themselves before climbing down the porch. He could see the Nam brothers and Hoya waiting for them, each of them carrying a bag of their own. They figured it was a good idea to take a change of clothes so that they wouldn’t have to walk home soaked.

“D’you think there will be a lot of people?” Sunggyu asked as they caught up to them before finally heading to Jinki’s house.

“He said he invited the soccer team too right? You’ll know everyone except Junho’s friends,” Dongwoo re-assured.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“I hope it’s not just guys. That won’t be fun,” Hoya said, as he scrunched up his nose.

“I’m not a guy,” Yeunja supplied helpfully.

“Yeah… but you’re practically my younger sister.”

“Yeah, yeah. At least there’ll be lots of eye candy,” she said happily, secretly nudging Dongwoo.

The blond haired male shook his head. He was glad they were walking towards the back of the group. Sunggyu rolled his eyes at his sister’s comment. Not a few hours ago she was depressed over the news that Hoya’s team would be there, but he was glad that she was capable of jumping back on her own. Being sad and depressed just didn’t suit her at all.

“Hey, if any one of them even looks at you funny, I’m gonna hurt him,” Hoya said seriously.

“Howon, don’t be ridiculous,” she waved him off.

There were some muffled snickers as Hoya registered what he just heard.

“Did you just…?” he turned to face her and began walking backwards, before turning to Dongwoo who was right beside her, “Did she just say my name so casually?”

“Of course not elder brother,” she answered sweetly.

The rest of the group cringed at the formality but Yeunja laughed happily. She just left Hoya speechless, twice now. She laughed even harder when he turned around with that confused look still on his face. The conversation picked up again soon after but there was something that she was curious about recently.

“Have you guys had your first love? Or… rather, is it possible to really end up marrying your first love?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Dongwoo asked.

“You still believe in that?” Hoya inquired.

The way he said it sounded a little condescending to Sunggyu’s ears.

“What do you mean? Are you saying it’s stupid?” Yeunja asked feeling insulted.

“No, I’m saying it’s unrealistic.”

“Speaking from experience?” Sunggyu spoke up, wondering why he would answer so negatively.

They were about a block or so away from reaching their destination. It was only 6 pm but the sun was dipped low in the sky, giving way to the late afternoon rays that cast across everything in sight, stretching the shadows to their peak.

“…”

“What? Hoya had his first love?” Woohyun asked, slightly amused.

The soccer player sighed unintentionally. He wasn’t able to hold it in, “Haven’t you, playboy?”

Woohyun tsked, “Playboy?!”

“Woohyun’s never dated,” Myungsoo supplied helpfully.

“Hey! Neither have you!”

“Aww,” Hoya pretended to coo as he swung an arm around his neck, “I bet you haven’t had your first kiss either.”

“I think,” Woohyun said as he pried the older teen’s arm off of him, “the most shocking thing here is that you’ve had your first love. Who was it?” he asked curiously.

“Are you seriously saying you haven’t?” Hoya asked, avoiding the question completely.

“I haven’t,” Sunggyu spoke up.

“Me neither,” Woohyun said right after.

Sunggyu wasn’t sure how he felt upon hearing that piece of information.

“Same,” Myungsoo added simply.

“How do you even know?” Woohyun decided to ask.

Sunggyu smiled a bit. While it was true he’d never fallen in love, he was witness to the effects of it. His two older sisters experienced it and a younger one that recently got her heart broken, not to mention his best friend. He was surrounded by it at different intervals of his life, and he was sure he knew what to expect when that fated first love would come to be. He’d definitely be prepared. He held such a vivid picture of how it would all go… but he may have been blinded by that same thing he was expecting.

“You just do,” Dongwoo replied.

“The problem with your question,” Hoya finally decided to answer, “is that you’re implying you’re also that other person’s first love. And usually that’s not the case.”

“Oh my God, you’re right...” Yeunja agreed as she also came to that realization.

“So you weren’t her first love, huh?” Woohyun asked.

“I was not,” he answered matter-of-factly, putting that nagging curiosity to rest.

 

 

It was already rowdy enough by the time they got to the house. There were quite a number of cars pulled into the driveway and parked out on the street. Sunggyu quickly recognized Junho’s black car. It was parked out on the curb. 

They barely reached the house and the sounds of the party filled the air. There was some yelling and splashing penetrated the sound of the music that was playing loudly. Hoya led the way through the back. Jinki was a friend of the three eldest males. They weren’t as close as Sunggyu was to him but they did spend time together in the past.

“Aye,” Hoya greeted the first person that saw him walk in.

“Yooo~!”

The one who greeted him was Gikwang, a teammate of his, before announcing it to Jonghyun who was close by.

The pool sat off center towards the right side as they walked in. The concrete deck was light beige and extended from the house to about 5 meters from the edge of the pool in all directions. There were a number of chaise lounge chairs lining the length of the pool, five on each side. Despite the huge size of the pool, there was still plenty of room for the beautiful wooden deck that extended a few meters from the house. Jinki’s house was as grand as he remembered.

They were all greeted happily before Junho made his way towards them.

“I was wondering if you guys were coming at all,” he said as he pulled them further in, towards the deck.

“Hey it’s still early!” Yeunja pouted.

“Do you guys need to change or anything?” Junho asked. He didn’t even get a chance to greet them properly before he was dragged off to tend to the grill by Jinki.

Sunggyu watched in amusement as the younger of the two looked back at him apologetically but his attention was diverted as they were led to a free table by someone from the dance team. The dark haired male recognized him from before.

“You’re Chansung, right?”

“Ah, yeah, you remember me?”

“Of course, it’s nice to see you again…are you supposed to be a waiter?”

“Uhh, more like a busboy?” he wasn’t sure himself but it caused the older male to laugh.

They ate soon after, Yeunja deciding to skip doing so in order to go talk with some friends she saw as soon as they came in. She didn’t know if she’d see anyone she recognized but the spacious backyard was full of people from school, not to mention her best friend promised to be there and she spotted her the moment they walked in.

Sunggyu looked around for a little bit and realized that Dojoon was definitely there but he didn’t see the snake that coiled herself around him. He wondered if he finally dumped her. His attention was soon stolen away when Jonghyun took a seat on the empty chair Yeunja left.

“Hey, what do you guys say to some pool volleyball?”

Sunggyu watched as his friends agreed quickly.

“Great! Nam,” he pointed to Woohyun, “You’re on my team. Hoya…,” he seemed to think about it for a bit before speaking, “yeah I guess you too.”

Hoya gaped for a second. He couldn’t believe his ears but his surprise only caused the people at the table a fit of laughter.

“I’m just kidding, but I think we should have some taller players too,” Jonghyun stated as he looked around.

“You guys are definitely on the furthest end of that,” Sunggyu mumbled, causing Myungsoo, who was close enough to hear him, laugh, his attempt at covering up his laughter a complete failure as they all turned to look at him questioningly.

“Isn’t Dongwoon pretty tall?” Sunggyu decided to ask, moving their attention to him.

“Oh right… let me go ask,” Jonghyun quickly jumped from his seat, heading to a table that was a little ways away.

Sunggyu couldn’t help the glance he stole towards Junho who was still tending the grill. It looked like he was finishing up.

“Hey Hoya! Come help us out here!” the dark haired senior wasn’t sure who it was that called out to his friend but he watched as Hoya stood, dragging Woohyun along with him across the wooden deck. 

They were setting up the volleyball net and were having some trouble. Most of the guys were gathered around the odd looking tanks that were supposed to serve as a base for the net poles. Sunggyu followed along too, wondering why it was becoming complicated for them.

“Aren’t you supposed to pour water in here? Isn’t that why it’s not staying up?” Hoya asked as he leaned over to inspect the odd shaped thing.

Sunggyu’s lips stretched into a mischievous smirk as he nudged Woohyun. It only took one look from the senior for the younger male to understand exactly what he was implying.

“Where?” Woohyun asked.

“Right here,” he looked again, making sure he was pointing at the right thing before he was pushed head first into the pool.

Sunggyu didn’t start laughing until his friend surfaced, sputtering and gasping for breath. He escaped from there before anyone got a chance to point fingers at Hoya’s demand to know who did it, deciding to head far away from the commotion. He wore a big smile on his face as he reached Junho, giving away his mischief.

“Did you do that?” he asked, returning the male’s smile.

“Of course not! I have people do the dirty work for me,” he said playfully before turning his attention to what he was doing, “So is the party a punishment for the younger guys in the dance crew?”

Junho chuckled, “This is our sad fate but,” he said as he closed the grill and covered all the vents, “I’m done!”

“Did you eat already?” Sunggyu asked as he watched the male head to the table a little ways away that held the food out on display.

“Yeah, as I was cooking.”

Sunggyu didn’t say anything as he went to help the male cover the food to keep the insects from getting to it. They finished rather quickly and simply stood there, leaning against the table as they watched the net finally get assembled properly.

“Does it really not hurt anymore?” Sunggyu finally asked.

He reached up, slipping his fingers into the brown strands of hair to feel the little lump he acquired.

“No, just don’t—ow!” he complained when he felt the senior press down on it a little too hard.

Sunggyu quickly withdrew his hand in slight shock, “I’m sorry!”

“It only hurts when there’s too much pressure on it,” he clarified as he tried to soothe the pain away.

“I’m sorry,” the dark haired male chuckled.

They spoke for a little longer before Junho decided to take him to sit on one of the chaise lounges that were against the fence as the rowdy bunch of guys began to get into the pool, claiming sides and deciding who would play first.

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” Sunggyu asked once they settled on the dark brown colored chaise chairs, each occupying a different one to face each other.

“Yeah… but I guess it’s not so bad. The backflip I’m supposed to do, the guys decided it was best to leave it out since I failed to do it properly Monday.”

“I’m glad, it’s better than riski—” his sentence was cut off as he felt something heavy and wet hit his stomach and land on his lap, surprising him.

He quickly turned to look at the culprit and glared at his friend. It was Hoya.

“Damn, I missed… I was trying to get your face.”

“What the hell for?”

“I know it was you that pushed me in!”

“It wasn’t me!” he yelled as he threw the shirt as far away from him as possible, making Hoya yell in annoyance as he quickly climbed out of the pool to go retrieve it.

“Jerk,” Sunggyu muttered as he looked down at his clothes. His whole front was wet and he was still wearing his regular clothes since he didn’t change into his trunks yet.

He huffed in annoyance as he stood. Junho followed suit, “I’ll take you to the restroom. We can throw your clothes in the dryer while we’re at it.”

Sunggyu agreed, shooting one last glare at Hoya who jumped back into the pool.

 

 

By the time Sunggyu, Dongwoo and Yeunja emerged from the house (Dongwoo and Yeunja needed to change as well) a game of volleyball was already underway. There were a few guys messing with the speakers by the entrance way too, setting something up. The volleyball game held a mixture of girls and guys on both sides and a lot of organized chaos. 

The three teens made their way to the lounge chairs that Sunggyu and Junho were occupying beforehand, deciding to watch the noisy match from there. Myungsoo, Woohyun, Hoya and Junho were all in the water, divided evenly between both teams. He could see Yeunja’s friend in the water as well, along with some other girls and guys from both the soccer and dance team – in which the majority were shirtless (with very good reason to be).

Yeunja couldn’t keep her comments to herself. She kept pointing out who looked better and who didn’t, asking her brother and Dongwoo for feedback before teasing them and comparing them with their current boy interests. His sister just loved flustering them for no reason. They managed to waste away some time that way before they heard a voice cut in thru the splashing and yelling.

“Who hasn’t gone in the pool yet? Everyone was told it was a pool party right?” the sound came through the speakers that were playing music.

There was an agreement that was shouted back.

“Sunggyu is still dry!” Hoya yelled back at Jinki.

“Kibum is still dry!” and more similar shouts started to pick up soon after.

_ “ _ Oh no, _ ” _ Sunggyu didn’t like where the situation was heading.

“I’ve got Kibum!” Jonghyun yelled.

The three teenagers didn’t have a chance to see the male’s fate as they saw their own friends climb out of the pool to throw them in mercilessly as well. It was all too obvious as to who was going after whom. Hoya wore a predatory smile on his face as he headed towards Sunggyu.


	24. Impatient

“I told you I didn’t push you in!” Sunggyu tried to reason but he couldn’t do much when he was pulled up from the chair roughly. He did put up one heck of a fight as soon as he was on his feet. 

He tried calling Dongwoo for help but realized Myungsoo was busy trying to drag him towards the pool while Woohyun took charge of his sister. He could see those two were close enough to the edge, he could push Yeunja in with no problem but Woohyun was probably teasing her and delaying the inevitable.

He quickly found himself losing when Woohyun finally threw his sister in before he went to help Hoya. It became so easy to pull him along to his doom with the added help. There was a number of splashes and cheering erupting afterwards from different areas around the pool. No doubt other poor souls meeting with the same unfortunate fate and Sunggyu was the only one left.

“On the count of three!” someone yelled.

“Three!” Hoya said as he flung the dark haired male into the pool.

When Sunggyu surfaced he could hear cheering from everywhere. He gasped for breath before pushing his hair back, away from his face. He hit the back of Hoya’s head as soon as he was in the pool and within reach.

“I hate you,” he added a little bitterly.

Before he could make his way to the edge of the pool to pull himself out, Yeunja called out to him.

“Gyu! Let’s do chicken fight!” she said enthusiastically, pulling on his arm.

“With who?” he asked, looking around.

“Both of us,” she turned and pulled Woohyun towards them, “Woohyun’s my bottom.”

“What?” Woohyun asked, not sure about what he was just included in.

“Junho!” Yeunja yelled and motioned for the man to reach them faster. He was already making his way to them.

“What’s up?”

“Be Sunggyu’s bottom! Let’s play chicken fight!”

The dancer’s eyes lit up in excitement, “Okay!”

The next thing Sunggyu knew he was being lifted up and out of the water with Junho surfacing between his legs, Yeunja joining him soon after. They were on the shallow end of the pool so it was astounding how easily both boys on the bottom were able to lift the two siblings up on their shoulders without so much as a grunt. They moved away from the edge, gripping onto the bare thighs on the two that went along for the ride.

The Sunggyu wasn’t wearing board shorts, like most of the guys, but swimming trunks. The swimwear wasn’t skin tight, but they were about mid-thigh in length.

“Isn’t there going to be some kind of bet?”

“Why?” Sunggyu asked Hoya.

“Because it’s no fun otherwise,” he clarified.

“This isn’t what I had in mind…” Yeunja mumbled.

“Loser sings first song!” Dongwoo yelled from a few feet away.

It was a collective cheer that decided for them, not even letting them reprimand Dongwoo for suggesting such a terrible thing.

“What?!” it was so surprising to see the siblings react exactly the same.

“Goddamit, way to up the stakes,” Yeunja muttered soon after.

Sunggyu couldn’t agree more, “Ready? Give me your hands.”

Woohyun and Junho stood right in front of each other. The height difference was obvious between both teams. Junho stood taller than Woohyun and Sunggyu was taller than Yeunja. His sister did as she was asked. It was how they kept things somewhat even, only using their hands to push each other off by the arms or shoulders instead of pushing and pulling at their bodies. Sunggyu couldn’t exactly push his sister off without those rules, there was a slight chance he might miss and touch something completely unacceptable.

“Okay, go!” and the fight started.

It was a bit tentative on both sides. The guys on the bottom were testing out the waters first but Woohyun was the one who made the first move, stepping into Junho’s personal space as Yeunja began pushing against Sunggyu’s hands. It caught him off guard but he held on tight, using her to keep upright.

“Junho move away from them!” Sunggyu shouted as he held onto Yeunja.

It was clear what they were doing the moment Yeunja was hovering over Woohyun, threatening to fall forward. Sunggyu was trying to pull her completely off but the junior caught on, quickly moving forward to keep both of them at an acceptable distance.

But even if they were appropriately matched as tops, the two bottom males could only handle their weight for a limited amount of time. The water reached only up to their midriffs so they were carrying all the weight themselves without the buoyancy of the water to help them out. Sunggyu figured Junho was getting tired when he started to shift the weight on him by lifting his shoulders in a calculative shrug. He decided he’d try to bring Yeunja down one more time before giving up.

It was easy enough to grab each other’s hands but Sunggyu pulled Yeunja forward suddenly, letting go of her hands and wrapping his own around her in a hug, trapping her arms in the process. They both stayed like that for a few moments both trying to get a good grip on each other. Yeunja knew what was coming next but she tried to get the best grip she could on her brother’s shirt. Fortunately for her, her grip was strong enough to bring Sunggyu down along with her, even though it was a few seconds after her.

Sunggyu surfaced, pushing his hair out of the way before regaining his composure and cheering happily, allowing Junho to pull him to his feet and high five him with both hands before he was pulled into a hug by the junior.

“And we have the winners!”

“Can it be best two out of three?” his sister tried to bargain but she figured there would be no budging, at least on her brother’s part.

“Yeunja! Yeunja! Yeunja!” the majority of the soccer team started chanting.

Sunggyu joined along, smiling as his sister was dragged out of the pool by Hyuna, her best friend, and some of the soccer team guys. When she reached the set-up on the deck, she turned around to realize she was the only one dragged out of the pool.

“Woohyun! You lost too!” she whined. She didn’t want to be the only one to go through the embarrassment forced on her. Soon it was Woohyun’s name that was being chanted. He looked around, startled to hear it before Myungsoo and Hoya began to pull him out of the pool, a few other guys helping out.

Sunggyu quickly climbed up and out of the pool to sit on the edge and watch things unfold. His sister and Woohyun opening the night with a duet, surely he’d never see anything like that again. He felt Junho follow his lead, sitting on his right as his attention was on the two on the left. He watched Woohyun ruffle his hair in what he imagined to be frustration. They were deciding on a song, and he wondered which one they’d pick. He could see some signs of nervousness on the junior. He was standing a little weirdly and not once did he turn to look at the people scattered about the pool and backyard.

He hummed unknowingly,  _ so this is what he looks like when he’s nervous _ .

“We should’ve lost,” he heard Junho say.

He turned to him with a questioning look gracing his features, “Why?”

“Because I  _ know _ you can sing… and we probably wouldn’t have so much trouble picking a song.”

“Oh really? When did you ever hear me?” he asked, curiously.

“…Uh… well…Yeun—” his sentence was cut off by the sudden start of a song that diverted everyone’s attention to the front.

Sunggyu recognized the song almost immediately. It wasn’t really normal to hear a reggae song in your everyday activities and the song was something that was playing non-stop on the radio for a few weeks. Most of the guests showed favorable reactions. It was a perfect choice to get everything going. The song fit the fun hot summer mood.

He watched intently as the first few words were stumbled over, causing the would-be singers a fit of laughter. He saw Hyuna join them soon after, dragging along another boy. It didn’t take him long to realize it was Dojoon. It was probably bad luck that Dojoon was Hyuna’s older cousin.

_Can I have your daughter for the rest of my life_  
_Say yes, say yes, ‘cause I need to know_

But they all somehow managed to get back on track right before the chorus. Yeunja was not oblivious to the man that joined them, but her attention was on the screen that was guiding them through the song. He could hear, among the chorus of amplified voices, a particular rich baritone that he recognized immediately before it was drowned out by the sound of the audience singing along as well.

_Why you gotta be so rude?_  
_Don’t you know I’m human too?_  
_Why you gotta be so rude?_

Sunggyu sang along to what he knew as he watched his sister and Woohyun visibly relax, their confidence growing as the song continued. There was a seamless transition after they finished the song; Taecyeon taking the stage with a few other guys.

“Those guys,” Junho said fondly, “they just love being in the limelight.”

It caused Sunggyu to laugh, “It’s a required trait for you guys.”

“That was fun!” Yeunja exclaimed as she ran towards the duo, “You should do it too!”

Sunggyu completely ignored her comment in favor of satisfying his curiosity, “What’s up with Dojoon? He hasn’t stopped glancing at you.”

Yeunja bit her bottom lip before leaning over and speaking to Junho, “Sorry Junho, I need to borrow my brother for a while.”

They didn’t wait for a response, Sunggyu throwing a quick apology over his shoulder before being led to a slightly secluded area. Junho merely watched him go, staring after him for a few seconds before hearing his name reverberate around him. Taecyeon was calling him over. He realized most of the crew was up on the deck with him. Was it time already? 

He scanned the area around him when he realized the youngest member was one of the guys missing from the deck. Before he could call to him, he caught sight of Woohyun who was standing a few feet away from him. He was more surprised by the fact that Woohyun’s attention was on him too.

Junho gave a simple tilt of the head as his greeting accompanied by a small smile, “You didn’t sound half-bad up there.”

“Thanks,” was his simple response, “Not bad for an impromptu performance, huh?”

“Not bad at all.”

“I’m not losing next time though. You’re gonna be up there singing. Just watch,” Woohyun said playfully, with a tinge of a challenge laced to it.

“That’s not happening. I like to keep my reigning champion record clean, you know,” he joked.

“What do you know, I like bringing down reigning champions. You’re going down next time!” 

“You’re on man!” Junho accepted the challenge.

It wasn’t much longer before everyone’s attention was called to the front again. Sunggyu interrupted his sister’s story to figure out what was happening. When he realized they were going to introduce everyone from the dance crew he beckoned her to continue but was ignored. He forgot that no one else met the group before.

There were only two faces that he didn’t recognize. He figured they could probably pass off as an idol group. They definitely drew the attention of all the girls by simply standing up there shirtless and wet. He’d admit, there were far too many good looking guys in one place at one time. It didn’t help that the majority of the male attendees were some form of athletes. 

It was an introduction, Minjun and Nichkhun were the names of the new faces.

“Oh man,” Yeunja practically cooed, “Those guys are no joke...That Chansung guy is really handsome…”

Sunggyu smiled, their attention was on the males who were announcing their participation in the Last for One event the next day, “Weren’t you just telling me about Dojoon a few seconds ago?”

“Who?” she asked distractedly, making her brother laugh lightly.

There was some more conversation taking place but the senior didn’t pay it much attention, opting to turn to his sister, “So…has Hyuna taken his side?”

Hyuna filled Yeunja in on her cousin. Apparently it was Dojoon who decided to end whatever it was that was going on with Gyuri. She would call and agree to meet with him before standing him up and when they did meet, it was just to have him buy her things. He was just being used and it took a few good and painful pinches and reprimands from Hyuna for him to fully realize it.

Yeunja sighed, “She knew how I felt about him... What do  _ you _ think?”

Sunggyu’s eyes moved over the people, finding the object of their conversation sitting with a few friends of his at one of the tables that was moved down from the wooden deck onto the concrete deck of the pool.

“I would say forget him…”

There was a moment of silence between the two, and in that brief moment, he caught the eyes of the soccer captain glance up at them for a few seconds, before he decided to elaborate, “Forget him, unless he really tries to win you over again. If that’s the case, then forgive him. I mean, your Sis forgave, and she’s married now.”

“So… keeping your first love… its possible?”

“…It is.”

 

 

The orange rays slowly began to change to the opposite side of the spectrum. The sky turned pink and then violet until the navy blue began to take over for the night. It was around 8pm when the lights started going on.

The rest of the evening was spent with Sunggyu trying to avoid his sister and friends. They were intent on dragging him up towards the karaoke machine. Dongwoo and Hoya were already forced to do so as well. It got to the point where he willingly volunteered to play pool volleyball just to get away from the nagging for a while, until someone thought it was a good idea to have a soccer team versus dance crew match, practically kicking everyone else out of the water.

He was completely startled to have Jinki approach him as soon as he climbed out, "Sunggyu, I need to talk to you."

For some reason he felt his heart rate speed up. Jinki was Junho's cousin, and he never thought of the possibility of his friend not actually knowing that Junho was interested in him. His mind started going a mile a minute as he was led to the house. He was going through all the possible things he would be asked, unconsciously formulating answers when he realized they stopped...right in front of the karaoke machine. 

"What?"

He was still in a state of confusion when he was handed the microphone. He only realized what was happening when the song Dongwoo chose started to play and his friends were around him, clapping and cheering him on. 

_We still live in the same town well don't we?_  
_But I don't see you around anymore_

He resembled a deer caught in the headlights. He looked around for a few seconds before he zoned in on who was singing already. Of course it was Yeunja and Dongwoo. He wouldn’t expect any less from them. Sunggyu merely gave them a warning glare, but somehow began to gain courage thanks to both of them who were sharing the microphone. He realized it would be okay, their voices would undoubtedly cover his own.

_And I'm getting bored waiting 'round for you_  
_We're not getting any younger_  
_And I won't look back 'cause there's no use_

Somewhere along the chorus he realized that he could no longer hear the other two with him and he was right. They erupted in laughter when he realized it but left him to finish, singing along without the microphone. 

He decided to sing the next song as well, since Dongwoo chose a few that the small group of friends were sure to know. It was so much easier to unwind when he was surrounded by familiar faces. 

 

 

It was late, about ten minutes until ten p.m., when they decided they should head home soon. The guests began leaving about an hour or so ago and only Jinki's closer fiends still remained, not mentioning the other five from the dance crew. Despite that, the remaining guests were loud in their own right.

There was mostly laughter spilling from them, jokes bouncing off of each other to the point where some were bent over, complaining of stomach pain but laughing nonetheless. Some others were still messing with the karaoke system, though it was turned down considerably. They didn't want to get in trouble with the neighbors.

Woohyun, Jonghyun, and Kibum were choosing songs, laughing at each other when they messed up the lyrics to the random songs they choose. Sunggyu was engaged in a conversation with the rest of his friends, Jinki, Junho and a few more dancers. He excused himself when the need to use the restroom won out, all the laughing making it hard to control his bladder. He needed to use the one inside, since Yeunja was occupying the one just a few feet away that was built onto the corner closest to the house. 

The surprise came when he was making his way out. It looked like Junho was waiting for him at the end of the small hallway. 

It was safe to say that his heart rate started picking up when Junho met him halfway, taking his wrist and leading him back. The hallway was immediately to the left after entering from the backyard. It wasn’t lit but the light from the kitchen was enough for anyone to be able to see. They stopped just beside the entrance to the laundry room.

“What is it?” Sunggyu asked finally, leaning against the wall once he realized they weren’t going any further. He wondered if the other could tell how nervous he was. 

“You got better at singing.”

The dark haired male almost let out a sigh. Was he relieved? Disappointed? He wasn't sure himself, “Thanks… I’ve had a few years of practice since you left.”

“You’ll have to sing for me one day.”

A teasing smile spread across Sunggyu’s full lips, “Maybe, if you dance for me.”

“Right now?” Junho asked but before he could hear an answer they heard someone enter the house. They watched the person pass by as they remained unnoticed.

Sunggyu forgot their previous banter, instead biting his lip as he watched the same person – it looked an awful lot like Yeunja – pass by the hallway to go out again.

“Sunggyu…?”

The dark haired senior’s attention turned to Junho, “Why’d you bring me here?” he decided to ask.

A smile, the one Sunggyu always saw directed at him, graced his features, “I wanted to spend some time with you, since you keep rejecting my dates.”

The older male gave the junior a sour look before crossing his arms and looking away. He pretended to be annoyed but it all came to an end when he saw a hand reach to lightly hold his chin between his thumb and forefinger, turning his attention back. They were both the same height but Sunggyu wasn’t standing at full height. Junho was just a few centimeters taller. He was using his right hand to lean against the door frame but he was hovering really close. They both had a clear view of the entrance but at that moment it didn’t matter.

“I really like you,” Sunggyu averted his eyes.

Why was he suddenly confessing his feelings again? His stomach was fluttering frantically this time. He didn’t know what to think but it felt nice. Electric warmth spread from his neck down. He tried to gather his thoughts but before he knew it, a warm pair of lips pressed tentatively against his cheek, near the corner of his mouth. His mind went completely blank. He could practically see the warmth spread all over his body starting from the nape of his neck and spreading in waves to his toes and fingertips. His body proceeded to shut down further when hands cupped his cheeks and he was turned to face the dancer. He stopped breathing. Junho was so close. He could feel his breath ghosting over his skin.

“Do you… like me too?” a thumb teased the corner of Sunggyu’s mouth before running more boldly against his bottom lip.

The dark haired senior couldn’t think. He was breathing in Junho’s scent, getting intoxicated in that small bubble in which only the two mattered at that moment. It didn’t matter that they were nearly in the dark. His eyes still locked onto Junho’s and his lips parted in a small gasp as he leaned in closer.

“I…” he felt he should answer, he could feel the words wanting to slip out of him, but then there was a loud yell that sounded really close and he pulled away quickly, turning to face the commotion. He felt his rational mind come rushing back, the mood most definitely broken.

He froze when he saw Woohyun emerge by the entryway, looking their way, “Is everything okay?”

“The restroom is over there! You want me to take you?” Dongwoo came into view, not allowing an answer, before leading the male forward by his shoulders.

They passed the two individuals that were already there, Sunggyu avoiding eye contact. The door to the restroom opened and Dongwoo gave vague instructions on where the light switch was. When the door clicked closed, Sunggyu pushed himself off the wall, deciding to head outside. His best friend caught up soon after, shooting Junho an apologetic look before they were back outside.


	25. Not so Subtle

There was definitely some tension. Sunggyu could feel it…or maybe it was just him being incredibly fidgety. He was doing his best to act casually, like usual, but he couldn’t.

Junho picked him up to take him to the special event. It was agreed upon on the previous day, sometime before…that incident. His teammates already left in a separate car. It was around six in the afternoon and they were making their way to Jeonju Stadium. Last for One was a national event, bringing forth all of those that loved to dance to celebrate it. Dancers from all genres were invited to participate. It was internationally known since it was established by a famous South Korean dance crew after all.

They needed to arrive slightly earlier in order to rehearse their stage. Junho briefly explained that they were one of the last to rehearse since they’d be performing about two groups before the final performers took to the stage. Sunggyu didn’t even notice when they finally stopped moving, his thoughts still entertaining the night before in his head. He only came to when he felt a warm hand settle over both of his. He was picking at his short nails, both hands resting on his lap.

“Are you okay?” Junho asked.

Sunggyu turned to him and gave him a small smile, turning his hand palm up to hold the younger’s hand in his, “I’m fine. Just thinking…”

“Shouldn’t I be the nervous one?”

A smile definitely crossed Sunggyu’s lips then, “Should you be?”

Junho smiled, “I have you here with me now. I have no worries.”

The dark haired male blushed, his words every bit embarrassing but still sweet. He laughed in embarrassment, “You’re crazy.”

“If that’s what it takes to get you back to your normal self, I’ll be crazy,” Junho joked.

His laugh reverted to a smile again, “Sorry it’s just that…”

“It’s because of last night, isn’t it?” the younger male asked, hitting the nail on the head very precisely, “I’m sorry, I should have thought things through.”

“…,” Sunggyu thought for a few seconds, making sure about what he was about to say, “Just give me a little more time,” he bit his lip as he admitted his next sentence, turning his attention towards the front, “I haven’t even had my first kiss yet.”

Sunggyu didn’t glance at the other male. He didn’t want to see a judging expression on his face. He felt the warm hand resting on his give him a small squeeze.

“Then I’ll wait to be the first.”

The dark haired senior felt his face grow warm again but luckily he was spared from anymore embarrassment as Junho’s phone rang. Junho complained audibly before reaching for his phone that was resting on the dashboard. Sunggyu took that opportunity to climb out of the car, only taking a deep breath when the door closed behind him. He felt lighter, as if all those thoughts that felt like they were literally pressing down on his chest were set free. He could breathe easier. He was in a confused state the night before, and he wasn’t sure about what he was feeling. He felt like he was swept up in the moment the night before.

He walked around the car, leaning on the hood as he waited for Junho. He picked at the stray strands of the cut-off jeans he was wearing. It wasn’t a date and it was a hot day, there was no need for fancy blazers or nice shoes. He was content wearing a regular v-neck with his favorite black and white chucks. He heard the car door open and he turned to watch Junho quickly open the back door to pull out the pressed outfits for the performance. The junior wasn’t wearing anything fancy either. Some gray sweatshorts with a random shirt thrown on and some running shoes was his attire.

“Yeah, I’m on my way inside. Meet me at the entrance of the stadium,” Sunggyu heard the male say before he hung up.

The junior released a short sigh before reaching for a few other things in the car.

“Do you need help?” Sunggyu asked, making his way over to the male.

“Please?”

The dark haired male laughed as he reached for the bigger bag of the two remaining. It was surprisingly light. He reached for the other smaller backpack and slung it over his shoulder. Junho was carrying the outfits in both hands.

“Just to the entrance. Chansung is coming to help me take them.”

No sooner did they enter the stadium that they saw the younger male jogging to meet them. There was barely any time for greetings as Junho pushed the stuff he was carrying onto the younger before asking for the backpack Sunggyu placed over his shoulder. He unzipped it and proceeded to pull out a number of yellow colored tags.

“Here, these are the passes they gave us. Aside from Jinki, the other guys don’t really have anyone to give these to. They’ll let you in the seated area with these. Ahh, I gotta go. We’re up for rehearsals in a few minutes. I’ll make it up to you later, okay?”

“Yeah sure,” the senior said as he waved him away, “Good luck!” he yelled after them.

He stared at the wrist bands in his hand before shoving them into his pocket. He won’t need them until much later. He knew Dongwoo and Hoya would really love the kind gesture.

 

 

He didn’t think he’d be so bored waiting for the small stands towards the back to set up. There were rehearsals, and the music played loud and clear. There was still quite a bit of movement going around all over the place and he was in the middle of it all. He felt completely out of place. He decided to head back out. He had a feeling he’d be put to work otherwise.

He spent about 45 minutes whining over chat to Dongwoo. He kept asking when he was going to get there because he was bored. He finally got an answer he was looking for about ten minutes before seven.

_ But I won’t be able to text you until we get there. We’re going with your favorite bro duo _

Sunggyu rolled his eyes. So Hoya and Dongwoo were going to get a lift from Woohyun and Myungsoo? He chuckled under his breath. He needed to see that.

He was disappointed to see them all arrive in pretty high spirits. Dongwoo chattered away excitedly as he talked about the ride there. Was he the only one that was terrified of riding so unprotected at such fast speeds? He brushed off the thought, not wanting to think about terrible things, and greeted them with a smile. He was definitely happy to see them either way. He was bored out of his mind. People were starting to pile into the stadium when he walked in the second time. There was a lot more bustle and a constant buzz of people talking. The rehearsal music stopped a while ago and some pop tunes took their place. They walked from the stands down onto the green field where there were a few lines of game and food stalls set up. The opposite side held a stage and a small amount of chairs that were sectioned off by a fence. They could see people already standing behind the fence, waiting for the show to start.

They were handed some pamphlets by one of the few people who were wearing staff shirts, she quickly explained it was the programming of the night.

“What’s Junho’s school name?” Hoya asked as he leafed through the pamphlet.

”Goyang Arts,” Sunggyu clarified as he too did the same.

It wasn’t long before they found the name and realized that their stage wouldn’t be until close to the end. Either way, Hoya and Dongwoo excused themselves to go see the earlier stages, Dongwoo dragging the younger Nam brother along with them.

“You’re not going with them?” Sunggyu asked as he turned to go down the first row of stands.

There were so many food stalls. He shouldn’t be surprised; after all he lived in Jeolla, the hometown of the best food in the country. There were some game stands scattered about along with some informational booths about special programs in universities and things of that nature. It was a mini festival (minus the school promotion).

“No, I’ll stay with you.”

Sunggyu walked around for a bit, a little aimlessly but nonetheless walking forward, passing a few booths that didn’t interest him too much. He didn’t realize Woohyun wasn’t following him until he tried to point something out at one of the booths. He skimmed the area and found him standing a couple of yards away from him at a food stall. He quickly made his way over and found it was a tteokbokki stand. He watched over Woohyun’s shoulder as the male received two spicy treats on a skewer.

The older male’s face lit up as he was handed one of them, “Thank you!”

“What do you wanna do? There’s a ton of games we can play.”

Sunggyu hummed and looked around, “I don’t know. What are you gonna get for me?” 

“ _ Me _ ? You can get them yourself! Or get Junho to get them for you.”

“Junho?” the senior couldn’t hide the surprised tone.

“You got here with him right? He’s your favorite now, isn’t he?” he asked.

“Ah, jealous? It’s okay,” Sunggyu threw an arm around the younger male’s shoulders, “you’re climbing back up right now.”

Woohyun laughed and pushed the male away, “Why? Hoya was completely right about you!”

They both laughed as they continued to make their way through the stalls.

“By the way, what was up last night with you and Junho? You guys looked pretty serious back there.”

Sunggyu tried his best to control his expression, but he averted his eyes just slightly, “We were talking.”

Woohyun’s gaze was on him, studying him, “Talking? You two always have a lot to talk about.”

Sunggyu hesitated a bit before speaking, “We all have our own secrets, right? Is it so bad he’d want to confide in me? He was just really worried about today. He needed someone to talk to about it,” he stated as he turned his attention to the food on the skewer, “He thought maybe it was just him that was feeling queasy.”

“That makes sense. Having stage fright seems kinda normal. I hope he gets over it.”

“Yeah, I hope so, too.”

“But I’m gonna need you to do something about keeping me on the top of the list,” Woohyun said, “I need to be number one all the time.”

“Okay,” the older male dragged out, “So that means you’re getting me something?”

The junior scoffed,“Fine, what do you want?”

Sunggyu laughed. The younger male kept surprising him. Woohyun came off as confident and someone who held himself together pretty well, but Sunggyu realized that he was actually pretty sensitive and quite perceptive. There were things he didn’t give much thought to that were taken far too seriously by the younger teen. He remembered the times when he teased him about his looks or small things of the sort and how he reacted.

_ I should pay more attention to this stuff _ , he thought to himself before returning his attention to the stalls around him (and his treat). He noticed a little gathering of people at a stall and he approached it curiously, Woohyun following closely, wondering what kind of thing would gain so much attention.

It was a Jegichagi game stall. He watched as the one who challenged the game kicked the small jegi, a shuttlecock look-a-like, up in the air several times before kicking it forward towards a target on the ground. The senior tried to look over the heads to see the target but could only see the traditional rings as if it was an archery target.

“Oh, 30 and 60 puts you at 90! You’ve got a sure third prize win!” the guy at the stall encouraged, “One more try!”

Sunggyu watched as the guy gave his last try, hitting the jegi with his foot three times before sending it towards the target.

“That’s a complete miss! 90 points plus five puts you at 95! Come right over here and pick your prize,” he watched the young guy show them to the one behind a table that served as a makeshift counter.

He heard the host of the game welcome the next player but his eyes were roaming the prizes stacked behind the other guy. His eyes lit up when he saw a stuffed character he’s wanted for quite some time.

“What are you watching?”

“That huge stuffed green mushroom,” he answered.

“What?”

“In the prizes, up there,” he pointed over the heads of the small crowd.

Woohyun’s attention went to what he was talking about and he gaped, “That thing is huge!”

It was a big stuffed green mushroom from a game series. Sunggyu quickly made his way around the crowd, towards the guy that was handling the prizes. He gave him a number of offers to buy the plush toy but the guy refused to sell it, explaining that he’d get in trouble if he did something like that. After that failed attempt he decided to ask what needed to be done in order to win the huge stuffed toy. The target was composed of three rings and one big dot in the center. In order to win such a huge prize, he needed to get a perfect score. He sighed in defeat as he made his way back to an amused Woohyun.

“He didn’t budge, huh?”

“No… let’s go before I get even more depressed.”

Woohyun only chuckled as he followed the older male further down the line of stalls, giving the Jegichagi stall one last glance.

They went about the stalls stopping at some to try their luck. Sunggyu chose to play a game where the targets were shot down. He took them down easily yet carefully. He wasn’t one to not be good at what he did after all. There wasn’t anything he wanted in the stall so he let Woohyun choose something among all the plush toys.

“Wouldn’t Yeunja like this? She uses this little thing a lot,” he explained to Sunggyu as he pointed out a mascot from the messenger they used.

Sunggyu agreed. He watched him pick it out, discreetly checking it for any defects before thanking the stall owner.


	26. Unplanned

The dark haired senior waited impatiently, wondering why it was taking Woohyun so long to go the restroom and back.  The sun was already dipping behind the stands but the ruckus around him didn’t seem to diminish in the slightest.  The program started a while ago and the thumping music echoed against the stands and made his whole body vibrate from the noise.  He decided to check up on Dongwoo and the others.  Sunggyu figured it was probably almost time for Junho’s team.  He sent the text and waited some more, deciding to head towards an area where a group of people gathered to dance to their own music, showcasing their own dance skills.

The senior spent a few minutes there, alternating between watching the individuals take turns showing their moves and texting his friend.  He just told Dongwoo where he was and was spacing out a bit.  His eyes were trained on what was going on in front of him but his brain not entirely processing the images until he was startled by something that was shoved in his face.  He turned in a panic, trying to find who scared him half to death when he saw Woohyun standing there behind him with a big smile on his lips, in his hands a miniature version of the green mushroom he tried to barter from the guy in the jegichagi stall.

He was unsure of what to do until Woohyun practically pushed the plush toy against his chest, forcing him to take it, “It’s for me?” Sunggyu asked, slightly confused.

Woohyun nodded, a tilt of his lips gave way to an amused smile.

“I thought you went to the restroom.”

“I found it on the restroom floor,” Sunggyu gasped in disgust and just as he was about to push it back for the younger male to take it, Woohyun laughed, “I’m just kidding!  I saw it on my way back and thought you’d like it.”

“Oh… thank you…,” Sunggyu said, at a loss for words. His heart was swelling with the kind gesture and he hugged the plush to his chest, hoping to hide the broad smile that was threatening to show.

He considered himself lucky the moment they heard Dongwoo’s distinct voice yell from over the crowd. The dark haired senior searched for them and finally waved them over when he located them.

“Hey guys! Had fun?” Dongwoo asked, directing the question to his best friend. Sunggyu gave him a quick glare before turning his attention to his pocket to pull out the passes Junho gave him.

When he got them out they were wrinkled, folded at odd angles and in bad shape.

“Sunggyu…” Myungsoo said as he took the one he was handed and scrutinized it.

“Hey, they were already crumpled up when I got them okay,” he said, “but if you don’t want it, I’ll—” he laughed when Myungsoo pulled the wristband out of his reach.

“What will these do, exactly?” Woohyun asked.

“We’ll skip the crowd and have seats,” Sunggyu explained simply as he wrapped the neon colored band around his wrist and taped it securely.

 

 

It was still a few more groups before Junho’s came on, according to the pamphlet, so they enjoyed the others. Some groups definitely left them slack jawed at the amazing and unique group choreography they saw. The crowd was loud and it was hard not to get carried away and swayed by the cheers, the music, and the people dancing on stage. It was fun, especially when he had a hyper best friend next to him, awing and practically jumping in his seat. There were a few minutes between intermissions and a host would come out to mc for a moment, maybe ask the dancers some generic questions and occasionally giving out the background of an exceptionally talented individual.

There was hardly any daylight left when the mc finally announced the Goyang Arts dance team. The roar of the crowd that followed startled Sunggyu. He shouldn’t have been surprised; the engagement of the crowd grew according to the act, and by the sound of it the Goyang dance team was pretty popular, and upon the raunchy sound of the music that started playing, he could imagine why.

Sunggyu’s jaw dropped in shock as soon as the hip thrusting and sex appeal was made obvious right off the get go. He was distraught. He wasn’t sure if he should stare or look away. To his (and possibly many people’s relief) it was merely the intro before the slow music was abruptly taken over by much heavier beats and shaking bass, prompting the guys to shed their white blazers to reveal the white tank tops underneath. It was hard to place a name to a body since they were wearing caps that were pulled low over their faces and the only lights that were on at the moment were behind them, making only their silhouettes visible until the acrobatics started.

It was a planned choreography but the stage was so alive with movement everywhere it was overwhelming and exciting. It was hard to think it was only six of them up on the stage when they whizzed by in mid-air. But with the air flips and tricks, the hats started flying off and with the lights currently shining on their faces Sunggyu perked up, starting to recognize them.

Taecyeon was the first one he saw followed by Chansung but his eyes kept darting to the others until Dongwoo shook his arm and decided to enlighten him.

“Junho is in the back!  He’s the one fixing his hat!”

Sunggyu strained his neck to see past the ones performing their part and he found him. His group opened the floor for him and Sunggyu watched in awe as he performed a front flip followed by a back flip, landing securely before there was a change in music yet again. A deafening cheer erupted from the spectators and Sunggyu and Dongwoo found themselves cheering along as well. There was a bit more focus on breakdancing, their bodies sweeping to and fro peppered with a few dance breaks before finally ending in another amazing air show. It was a great performance, all the practice put behind it made it seamless and almost flawless.

 

 

**_Sunggyu_**  
_That was amazing! You did great!_

The senior didn’t expect to get a response as quickly as he did. It was only a few minutes after the group walked off stage that he got a message in return.

**_Junho_**  
_come meet me_  
_i’m on the left_

Sunggyu’s head spun towards the sides before seeing a figure dressed in white looking around by the edge of the enclosed sitting area. He leaned over to Dongwoo, who was the only one sitting next to him, and informed him that he’d be back. His friend didn’t have time to ask questions before the other was standing and walking past his other friends, earning confused glances in his wake. It wasn’t long before Junho spotted him and a grin overtook his features.

“How was it?” he shouted over the loud music.

Sunggyu could note his eagerness and he couldn’t help but laugh a little, “It was great! You guys looked amazing up there!”

Junho smiled happily before taking the male by the wrist and leading him away from the commotion, behind the range of the deafening speakers. It became easier to hear at least.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to get you home. Taec is going back to Ilsan after this. He has an emergency and he can’t wait so I’ll have to take everyone back to Jinki’s…Unless you’re okay with sitting on someone’s lap?”

“No, no I’ll be fine. The guys came so I’ll hitch a ride with one of them,” the senior reasoned.

“Are you sure?” Junho asked.

The dark haired male nodded reassuringly.

“Who came?”

“All the guys: Dongwoo, Hoya…” Sunggyu trailed off.

“Woohyun?”

“…Yes, Woohyun too.”

Junho smiled, “I’m glad everyone came! You should go watch the show.  We gotta leave our dressing room tidy before we can leave.”

Sunggyu nodded.

“I’ll text you later,” the older male felt his body grow warm when the other’s thumb brushed lightly against his cheek.

“Okay…,” he managed to say before deciding to make his way back.

He pushed the feeling to the back of his mind and he ignored any and all questioning eyes as he returned to his seat, pretending to not notice someone’s particular dark brown eyes on him as well.

 

 

Needless to say, it took a moment for Sunggyu to realize that the decision to ride with his friends was a terribly bad one. He realized it even more so as he was standing in front of the motorcycles.

“W-where’s Hoya?” he asked, unintentionally stuttering.

“He met up with some friends and they invited him to dinner. So he’s long gone,” Dongwoo explained, knowing full well why Sunggyu was acting fidgety.

“Oh…”

“Let’s get going, or should we wait for the traffic to die down a bit?” Woohyun asked as he looked around, there was a huge crowd outside, some were standing about holding conversations, others hurrying to their cars and adding to the horrible congestion.

“Maybe we should wait a little,” Sunggyu suggested, trying to give his brain enough time to embrace the idea that he will be riding that which he has avoided for the longest.

They picked out a ledge to sit on and wait for a while. They talked about the performances and which group they liked the most and made fun of the ones that looked weird and of the people around them that were trying to dance with the groups. Dongwoo got up to mimic what he saw and had Sunggyu in stitches. It was embarrassing and hilarious at the same time. He was hiding his face in the mushroom plush.

“And then he went like this! Sunggyu! Hey, look!” the dark haired male peeked over his gift and started laughing again when he saw the male trying a ridiculous looking variation of the horse dance a group included in their routine.

He needed to get off the ledge if he didn’t want to fall off, “Make him stop!” he yelled at Woohyun who seemed to be the only one not dying of laughter like Myungsoo and himself, “I can’t breathe!”

Woohyun laughed at him, “Stop looking when he calls you!”

“But-but it’s already in my head,” Sunggyu tried to argue and just as he was controlling his breathing Dongwoo would call to him and all Sunggyu needed to do was remember to start laughing again.

Woohyun found himself holding the senior up eventually and entertained by the whole situation. He liked it. It was fun to see them laugh so whole heartedly. He looked up to survey the area and found that the major traffic jam almost disappeared. He pulled out his phone to check the time.

“We should head home soon. It’s getting late.”

Just as quickly as Sunggyu forgot why they were waiting he remembered again and he groaned. He didn’t think mental prepping would be useless in the end but the dread was starting to come back. 

“I’ll ride with Myungsoo since he knows where I live, plus I promised him ice cream," Dongwoo said sheepishly.

Sunggyu didn’t pay him much attention, he simply nodded. Dongwoo bit his lip, unsure if having his best friend ride a motorcycle was in his best interest. He patted the male on his back and peered into his line of vision.

“Are you okay?”

The dark haired senior blinked and focused his attention on Dongwoo, “Yeah, I’m okay. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?  We can flag a taxi down if you want?” Woohyun suggested.

Sunggyu was left to stare at the younger male before turning his attention to Dongwoo. His friend shrugged but agreed to the idea, “What? You don’t think I can ride a bike?”

Woohyun raised a questioning brow, “It’s pretty obvious you’re scared.”

“I’m not…! I just….”

The others waited for the inevitable excuse that he was about to spout, but Sunggyu realized there was no point in hiding what they already knew, “Okay, fine... I _ am _ scared but can you blame me?”

“Then try it once. Trust me to get you home safely,” Woohyun urged, “and if you really don’t like it, we’ll know from now on.”

The senior stared at him for a few seconds debating his options before arriving to a decision. His sister was brave enough to at least give it a try and survived all those rides she was offered after school. At least both guys owned a clean enough history with the bikes. It made him feel slightly better, but only slightly. Although he'd be lying if he said he never wondered what it would feel like. It was an intriguing curiosity to know what it felt like to ride so freely.

Sunggyu sighed, “Okay.”

 

 

Familiarizing himself with how to get on, where to place his feet and how to hang on wasn’t hard at all. It was pretty simple until the bike was kicked up to stand and soon roared to life, nearly startling him to death. The only thing he could do when they started moving forward was grip onto the man in front of him tightly.

Woohyun promised to go slowly and he kept to his promise. The grip around his waist was pretty strong and Sunggyu would tighten it whenever he felt the bike swerve a little more than usual or when Woohyun made turns. The most tense the dark haired senior would get was when there were cars around them. It was at those times that Woohyun’s left hand would leave the handlebar to hold onto his hand. Sunggyu wasn’t sure if it was to signal for him to relax because it hurt or if it was to comfort him. Either way it did both effectively. 

The green stuffed mushroom and Yeunja’s plush were digging into Woohyun’s back unpleasantly during the whole ride, at least Sunggyu figured since he was practically pressed flush against him. He relaxed only slightly when he realized they were near, recognizing his surroundings and heaving a sigh. They were almost home.

The senior didn’t lean back until the vibrating machine under him shut off, the silence announcing that it was safe again. He didn’t remove the helmet he was wearing until he saw the male in front of him do it. He waited until the helmet was locked in place on a handlebar, handing his over when Woohyun asked for it.

“Be careful when you climb off,” the junior cautioned, prompting Sunggyu to move awkwardly behind him, taking hold of both stuffed toys and using Woohyun to hold himself steady before climbing off as cleanly as possible.

He didn’t think his legs would fail him the moment he applied most of the weight on them. Woohyun reached for his arm to try and keep him steady but Sunggyu’s momentum forced the other off the bike. Woohyun collided with Sunggyu but both were spared from falling to the cold hard ground. Sunggyu’s back hit the gray Kia that was permanently parked on the Nam’s driveway. The dark haired senior braced himself for another impact from the other but was surprised to not feel anything.

He was lucky that Woohyun was able to stay somewhat upright, keeping himself from falling by holding himself up with his free hand. He opened his eyes and was surprised to have the other’s handsome face less than a foot away from his own. They were both startled and it didn’t help at all that they were in an awkward position. Sunggyu was using the car to hold himself up halfway towards the ground and Woohyun was crouched in front of him.

“Are you okay?”

“I… yeah, I think so…” he let go of the younger male’s arm and let his head rest against the car before a small, quiet laugh left his lips. That was probably the most afraid he’d been the entire night and it was pretty ridiculous.

Sunggyu slid down the side of the car and sat on the warm pavement. He wasn’t sure how ready he was for standing. His legs were still shaking. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and opened them when he felt the younger male sweep his bangs to the side. The senior figured the helmet he was wearing misplaced a few strands. He found himself diverting his eyes.

“I can’t tell if you you’re pale or not…but you’re still pretty like this too,” Woohyun smiled.

_ Again with the pretty? _ Sunggyu still couldn’t get used to that nor the blush that he was sure was trying to take over his complexion. He didn’t say anything and kept his gaze down. Woohyun’s fingers left his hair and instead took the older male’s chin to get him to look up. The younger male leaned down to inspect his features better.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

No, no he wasn’t. He was anything but okay at the moment. His heart beat started picking up and he was so frustrated he wanted to yell out. Why was Woohyun doing that? Why was he pulling him back when he was already gravitating towards another sun?

Sunggyu nodded and managed to breathe out a small affirmation. The dark haired senior wanted to think he was seeing things; that he was imagining the way Woohyun’s soft gaze traced over his features was almost exactly the same way Junho looked at him and both of their touches, just as gentle. But the warmth that spread down to the very tips of his being when Junho touched him just didn’t compare with Woohyun’s. The junior was leaning impossibly close now.

“I’m fine,” Sunggyu said and smiled, trying to break the tension that was layered on them thickly.

He was careful to get up, with help from the junior, but he moved quickly, “Thanks for the ride, Woohyun,” he said before turning heel and hurrying home.

He got to his room surprisingly quickly. His sisters weren’t on the lookout like usual so he managed to reach his room quickly and quietly.  He let out a huge sigh the moment the door closed.  He rested his head on the wood before pushing off and going to his balcony. He peeked down, careful that he wasn’t in complete view.

Woohyun was still standing outside by his bike looking down at the plush toys in his hands. Sunggyu didn’t realize he forgot them in his haste. He held his breath when the junior looked up at his balcony and ruffled his hair. Pleasant warmth took over the dark haired male as he watched the other.

The roar of Myungsoo’s motorcycle didn’t register until he saw the younger male pull up on the driveway. The engine shut off and it was a few minutes of the two talking. Woohyun made some curious gestures before using the mushroom plush and placing it a few inches away from the other. The younger brother took the toy and got off the bike. Sunggyu watched as Myungsoo wrapped an arm around his older brother and led him towards their house.

He sighed yet again as he stood there, staring out into the night without focusing on a single thing.  He wasn’t sure what just happened but he was definitely sure that simply remembering made his heart palpitate.  He thought of Woohyun and his hand went up to cover his mouth. Was Woohyun going to kiss him? And as if that wasn’t enough, the look he was giving him. It was driving him mad just thinking about it.

He groaned in frustration, his hands forming fists and finding themselves at his temple as he slid down the glass door of the balcony. There was so much running through his mind. He needed to talk to someone. He _ needed _ to confide in someone. He quickly reached for his phone in his pocket. He had a little trouble finding what he was looking for, somehow managing to find Dongwoo’s number in his state.

It was only a few rings in when the phone was picked up, “Gyu?”

“Dongwoo…”


	27. Decisive

Dongwoo stayed silent, listening to his friend breathe into his ear. Sunggyu was beyond distraught. Woohyun was there the longest and Sunggyu’s feelings for the oblivious junior were there much longer than his feelings for Junho. But Junho somehow managed to gain so much ground in a very few short weeks with his intentions very clear.

“Sunggyu…What if… What if he’s only doing this because of Junho?”

The dark haired senior sighed, “He did say Junho was my favorite…”

“But was he really going to kiss you?” Dongwoo asked, trying to straighten the situation in his head.

“No…! I don’t know…,” the slightly older male fell back against his bed, “It felt like that one time…with Junho.”

Sunggyu heard his friend sigh exasperatedly on the other side of the receiver. He felt like doing that every time he thought about it as well. His own thoughts were stressing him out.

“Would you have kissed him if Junho wasn’t in the picture?”

“It’s not just that Dongwoo!” the dark haired said sternly, covering his face with a hand.

“Then what is it? You’re acting worse than my sisters.”

There was a moment of silence between them before Sunggyu sighed for the millionth time that night, “You’re right, maybe I am being stupid, just—”

“I understand that it’s important to you. I know… But Gyu, the best thing to do for now is weigh your feelings. Sit them on a scale and just think. I can’t do much else for you,” Dongwoo said apologetically.

Sunggyu wasn’t asking for help per say, but he did want to hear what his friend thought, he had a hard enough time by himself. He was really grateful he had Dongwoo at times were he felt like he was going to self destruct over nothing.

“I know… Can’t we go back to my birthday? Those were fun times.”

Dongwoo giggled at his friend before speaking, “Can’t we go back to when we didn’t have to worry about this stuff?”

It was such a sobering thought. Long gone were the days of playing happily and blissfully with his siblings and with his friends without a single worry except for what to play next or what they were going to have for dinner.

“Don’t even... I’ll just get more depressed,” Sunggyu groaned.

“Then don’t get hung up on it, and I need to go. I’ve been sitting in my underwear on the toilet talking to you.”

“I didn’t need that image.”

“Punishment.”

“I’m gonna have nightmares,” Sunggyu pretended to complain.

Dongwoo could only laugh in amusement. They both bid their goodnight soon after. The senior sat on his bed in the dark for a few moments longer, wondering if he should engage his console for a while, but not before taking a shower himself. It was the middle of summer after all and he spent all afternoon getting sweaty.

It was almost midnight and he was watching a movie in his room. He was thinking of turning in soon. The message that suddenly arrived surprised him and it surprised him even more when he realized it was from Woohyun. His thoughts were still jumbled up from earlier.

**_Hyun_**  
_hey you up?_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_yeah?_

**_Hyun_**  
_are you busy?_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_…not exactly?_

**_Hyun_**  
_great_  
_come outside_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_rn???_

**_Hyun_**  
_yes_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_what for? It’s lamost midnight?_

**_Hyun_**  
_lolol you sleepy?_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_not really_

**_Hyun_**  
_then come on!_  
_no wait. I’ll come to you then_

**_Sunggyu_**  
_what!! don’t! Youre fonna wke everone_

He was typing so fast he didn’t even care for the typos. He waited for a few seconds and didn’t get any response.

**_Sunggyu_**  
_woohyun_  
_hey_  
_???_

A few minutes passed and he didn’t get an answer back. In fact, Woohyun didn’t even check his messages. He wondered if that was the end of their weird conversation. He relaxed a bit but was nearly scared to death by the sudden soft knock on his balcony door. He shot up from his bed, eyes wide in alarm. He sat up straight when he realized the door was sliding open. A small head peeked in through the blinds and into his room and he let out a loud, relieved sigh. It was Woohyun.

“What?! How did you even get up here?” Sunggyu asked in a whisper, standing and pushing Woohyun out so that he could show him how.

“I think your Dad left the ladder out.”

“Thanks Dad,” Sunggyu said sarcastically, “What did you want?”

“Let’s go to the beach.”

Sunggyu stared at him for a moment, “What.”

It wasn’t even a question.

“Let’s go.”

“Why would we--”

“Come on,” Woohyun climbed over the balcony ledge and set a foot on the ladder.

“Woohyun! What if my parents find out?” Sunggyu asked seriously.

“This is why we’re sneaking out. Come on, we’ll be back before they even realize you’re gone.”

Sunggyu sighed and stared at him for a moment. Woohyun was brewing with excitement and it was contagious. He started getting a rush of adrenaline as well. It would be the first time he was sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night. And he’d be going to the beach, with Woohyun. The junior is already halfway down and he’s still debating whether he should join him or not. He hears the male call him and he looks over the ledge.

“I don’t have any shoes!” he whispers.

“We’re going to the beach, you don’t need shoes!” the other answers back.

Sunggyu sighs and swings a leg over the ledge and onto the ladder. Well, it’s not like he did this often anyway. But if his mom found out, he was gonna be  _ so _ dead.

“Why are we doing this?” Sunggyu asked again once he was seated on the bike with the helmet on, “Why am I on this thing again?” 

He’d like to say he was terrified but he didn’t feel that way anymore. Maybe it was the adrenaline dulling his rational mind.

“Let’s live a little,” was his answer as the bike roared to life.

Sunggyu was sure his mom probably shot up in bed at hearing the noise. In fact, he was sure she was probably going to burst out of the house screaming her lungs out for him to get back in the house. He looked back as they pulled out of the driveway and down the street. He didn’t turn away from the house until he could no longer see the unmoving scene.

 

 

“I can’t believe we made it...” Sunggyu said as he steadied himself. His legs were still a bit weak but it wasn’t as bad as before.

“At least I know there’s no way you’re falling off the bike,” Woohyun stated as he soothed his midsection.

Sunggyu was still holding on to dear life the whole way. He was still getting used to the feeling of it so he couldn’t help feeling jumpy and alert at every little bump they hit. He ignored the other’s teasing remark and instead focused on the scene in front of him. The beach was empty save for a few he could see for miles out into the dark ocean that extended far beyond his sight. It was just shy of a full moon and it looked like it was close to setting, like it was about to be swallowed up by the hills and waves splashing against the sand on the beach.

“This is amazing,” Sunggyu said in awe. He quickly ran off the pavement of the road and onto the soft sand.

“I’ve never been here at night. It looks so different...”

Woohyun followed suit, taking his shoes and socks off, and stepping off the pavement.

“The moon looks amazing,” he said, his voice just above a whisper, “Wait, I need to take a picture of this.”

He pulled his phone out and proceeded to do just that, taking various pictures until he was satisfied with a particular one, “Ah, I want to get it when it starts touching the horizon,” he mumbled to himself.

“Aren’t you gonna take any?” he asked, turning to look at the other male that suddenly became quiet.

He was surprised to find him watching him.

“What?”

“And you didn’t want to come,” he teased.

“But I’m here now. I might as well enjoy it,” he countered, slightly embarrassed.

He chose to ignore him yet again and padded toward the edge of the ocean waves. He was wearing his basketball shorts so he didn’t think twice about wading out in the shallow water.

“Oh my god, it’s cold!”

Woohyun watched him for a few moments, a smile on his lips. He decided to take a seat and watch the other kick at the water. Sunggyu was entertained for a few minutes before he turned to head next to Woohyun and take a seat as well.

“So... Any reason you wanted to come?”

Woohyun stayed silent for a minute before leaning back against his palms, “Not exactly... I just...,” he glanced at Sunggyu before turning his gaze away quickly, “I just felt the urge to get out for a bit, and I wanted to hang out with you for another while.”

“With me?” The senior hummed disbelievingly before digging his fingers into the sand and grabbing a handful, “Now I feel special.”

The younger Nam brother chuckled lightly, “You  _ are _ special.”

Sunggyu couldn’t help but stop to look at the other inquisitively, the sand falling between his fingers, “Right,” he dragged out.

“And pretty,” Woohyun said teasingly.

He almost got a face full of sand if he didn’t stop the other mid-throw. He laughed as he held the hands still. Sunggyu struggled for a bit before giving up, not even caring about retaliating anymore and simply sat still, a light pout on his lips. The younger male let go when he saw no more attempts to attack. Instead he moved in order to be able to lay his head on the other’s lap. The black haired male was startled but made no move to get him off, figuring it would be weirder to make a fuss over it.

“Tell me a story.”

“Am I your personal entertainer?”

“Probably.”

“Why don’t  _ you _ tell me a story? Are you always this impulsive?”

“Maybe... I mean, I haven’t had a real friend in such a long time. We’re always moving around so getting to know you and your sisters, Dongwoo and Hoya, too. I just want to hang out with you guys more.”

“You can take one of my sisters if you want,” Sunggyu joked.

“I’ll take from Choonyei on down. I think Myungsoo would like to be an older brother for once.”

“Hell, take ‘em all,” Sunggyu said semi-seriously.

“It would be fun,” Woohyun thought out loud, looking up a the male.

“To an outsider it would, I guess,” the older male mused, lightly flicking the other’s hair from his forehead.

The junior flinched, expecting a slap to his forehead or something similar, instead he felt long fingers thread through the dark strands to massage his scalp lightly. Sunggyu didn’t know why he didn’t hit him instead, but Woohyun was opening up, and he felt maybe he could just enjoy the company for a while.

“But you know, you didn’t have to sneak me out of the house to hang out with me. If my mom finds out, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna be in so much trouble.”

“Come on, if they didn’t find out about Yeunja’s problem at school, this won’t be a big deal,” Woohyun tried to reason.

“But she wasn’t sneaking out in the middle of the night!”

“Maybe you should stop, you’re gonna put me to sleep,” Woohyun ignored him, taking the other’s hand in his. He held it still in place, as he looked at the other who was staring down at him.

“I’m really glad we met, Sunggyu,” he said suddenly, squeezing his hand as he said it.

The butterflies that he was trying his hardest to suppress came back full force, and he felt that his heart was going to jump out of his chest from how happy that made him feel. Looking down at his handsome neighbor, he smiled, a warm genuine smile, “I’m glad, too,” before deciding to cover up any other sudden emotion that wanted to show itself without his permission, “It’s not everyday I get to hear such words from a handsome guy,” he teased.

Woohyun sat up suddenly, startling the older male. His gaze searched his face for a moment longer before speaking, “You spoil me, beautiful.”

Sunggyu felt his face grow red before reaching for another handful of sand. After the unsuccessful attack, the older male somehow convinced the junior they’d only stay until the moon set and then they needed to go back. But it was still a pretty unforgettable night. The pictures on his phone would make sure to remind him of it again.

 

 

The following few days were relatively calm compared to the past few days of the week. A thunderstorm took over the humid, sunshine days of summer. He didn’t see Woohyun since Saturday night and Dongwoo didn’t go over either. It was too stagnant and even if he enjoyed the silence, he was starting to miss the ruckus his friends created.

“I’m so bored,” Yeunja whined for the hundredth time that day. Sunggyu was on his way to the kitchen to get something to snack on.

“Find something to do,” Haneul said, her voice not masking her annoyance.

“But I can’t even go outside!” the younger of the two kept complaining.

“You don’t even go outside on normal days,” Choonyei, the thirteen year old, commented. She kept an eye on her sister in case she got up to retaliate.

“I actually wanna do something today! We’ve been cooped up for two days already. Two days!”

“Go sit outside on the porch,” Sunggyu suggested as he continued to head to the kitchen.

“But it’s so humid!”

“No duh, it’s raining,” Choonyei tried her smart mouth again. She only needed block a pillow thrown at her that time.

“Choonyei, shut up,” Haneul said, throwing her a warning side glare. She looked like she was going to throttle the next person that said something stupid.

“What are you doing here, Haneul? I thought you said you got a part-time at that salon?” Sunggyu asked, peeking into the living room. During the past week she announced that her professor recommended her for a job at a salon she frequents and was accepted as a beginner.

“Yeah, but it’s raining. I have off until it clears. Apparently there aren’t many walk-in customers when it rains,” Haneul explained, her attention back on the television.

“So they cut back on the newbies?”

“Yeah… I’m an assistant anyway. I’m not allowed to touch anything without supervision,” she said with a half pout before realization crossed her mind.

Sunggyu could see it just from her side profile and he knew where her train of thought was going as soon as she turned to face him with a smile.

“Sunggyu,” she dragged out.

“No,” the senior said quickly before turning around and heading back up with his bag of chips and soda.

“Why not?!” his sister asked as she got up from the couch to chase after him, “You don’t even know what I was gonna ask!”

“Doesn’t matter, it’s still no!” he declared as he hurried up the stairs.

“Oh come on! If I don’t practice I’m going to forget what I learned!” she whined after him.

“Nope!” he said as he closed the bedroom door behind him and locked it.

 

 

“I really hate you,” Sunggyu murmured as he sat in the master bathroom, in the same scene of a few months ago when his hair was dyed red.

She smiled happily, “It’s okay. I’m dying your hair now anyway,” she sing songed.

“You and your dirty tricks,” he held back a small pained groan when Haneul pulled at a few strands of his hair forcefully.

“I’m the one in control here,” she threatened making Sunggyu simply glare and pout lightly at her through the mirror.

“What color will it be this time?”

Haneul hums as she continues to apply the mixture into his hair, “I wanna try something light. I learned this technique at school and I haven’t been able to use it yet. What I’m applying right now will lighten your hair.”

“Are we doing brown? Or red again?” Sunggyu asked.

She hummed again thoughtfully, “A little of both maybe…? Nah, let’s do puke green.”

“I really hate you,” Sunggyu reiterated.

 

 

Dongwoo finally dropped by the following Wednesday. Of course he relayed all of the details to his best friend about his spontaneous outing with Woohyun Saturday night. He somehow got lucky and got home before dawn. No one noticed his absence and for that he was grateful. That meant he didn’t have to talk to his sisters about any of it.

It was cloudy but at least it stopped raining sometime in the early afternoon. He texted him the day before, claiming to have found the solution to Sunggyu’s problem. Sunggyu pestered him the rest of the day about what problem he was referring to, but he was ignored. That was going to be the first thing he was going to ask when he saw him (but really it was until they were alone).

“You know that color really suits you,” Dongwoo commented when they were in the safety of Sunggyu’s room. Sunggyu’s black hair was lightened considerably and he now donned a reddish brown color, not at all damaged from the treatment.

“Yeah it’s nice. Now tell me what you were talking about yesterday,” they were both standing in the middle of the room.

Dongwoo laughed, “You really are curious. Usually you’re a little more composed.”

“What do you expect? You left me high and dry after that random message.”

His best friend smiled at him, “Did you think about it?”

“About what?”

“About what we talked about Saturday.”

Sunggyu’s eyes wandered, his expression giving away the answer. He did think about it and his rational mind had a very clear answer but his heart was stuck somewhere in limbo and it was that indecision that was making him falter. Dongwoo sighed and took his friend by the shoulders and led him to the bed so he could sit.

“Close your eyes and take a deep breath,” he instructed.

The senior gave Dongwoo a concerned look, not sure if he should trust him but in the end gave in.

“Since you weren’t able to answer me, I think this is the only solution.”

“Solution to what?” Sunggyu asked again, opening his eyes to give him a questioning gaze. He wasn’t amused by Dongwoo’s cryptic sentences that really gave him no kind of insight and he was getting ready to physically assault him.

“Close your eyes!” he demanded and only continued after his friend stubbornly followed through, “This is something that I think you need, so you can’t get mad at me.”

Sunggyu’s eyes opened again in alarm, “You’re not going to slap me, are you?”

That caused Dongwoo to burst into laughter, “Of course not!”

“It’s starting to sound like you’re about to risk your life. I’m worried for my safety.”

“If I told you not to get mad at me, shouldn’t it be more harmful for  _ my _ safety?” Dongwoo asked. His ever present smile made Sunggyu relax.

“Alright, fine. I’m trusting you,” the other said just to be sure he’d make the other feel guilty if he was going to hurt him. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath. He barely had time to return his breath to normal when he felt it. 

His lips registered another pair on them and his eyes shot open. His expression morphed from confusion to realization as his wrists went to cover his mouth. It was quick but long enough to register the feel of Dongwoo’s plumper lips on his.

“Dongwoo!” he finally yelled in surprise, throwing a punch at his shoulder. His friend jumped up and continued to jump around the room, clearly not happy with what he just did either.

His best friend just kissed him. His best friend actually  _ just _ took his first kiss.

“You don’t have an excuse now!” the other finally said after a few moments of clearing his head as well, “and to be fair, I just gave you my first kiss too, so we’re even.”

“Why?” Sunggyu asked, incapable of seeing how it was fair or even.

“Because if I leave  _ you _ to decide, you’ll never let anything happen! Next time, if Junho or Woohyun or even Myungsoo want to kiss you, you have no excuse except not wanting it.”

Sunggyu groaned before taking hold of a pillow and throwing it as hard as he could at his best friend. He hated how irrational yet strangely correct Dongwoo was and he couldn’t do anything about it anyway. Dongwoo took the kiss he placed so much importance on and made it meaningless. And he didn’t know if he should thank him for it or not.

 

 

It was later in the afternoon, close to dinner that Sunggyu was sitting in a café, staring out into the gray expanse of sky that washed everything with a bleak overlay. He didn’t even notice Junho taking a seat across from him. The junior took the time to admire the other’s profile openly, admiring the shapely nose and the surprisingly sharp jawline. His face was round so it was a little surprising to see such a defined jawbone. His admiration was cut short by the waitress assigned to them.

“Are you ready to order?” she asked, effectively startling the older male out of his thoughts.

“Not yet. Could you give us a few more minutes?” Junho asked, smiling up at the girl.

She returned the smile, assenting and excusing herself. Junho waited until she was a few feet away before speaking, “Are you okay?”

Sunggyu fixed his posture, sitting upright and offering a small smile, “Yes, I’m fine. Sorry.”

The copper haired male tried to cover any stray thoughts he was entertaining and decided to concentrate on what was going on and not on the what ifs. He did that enough in the past couple of days and he was getting tired of it. The speculations were simply forming a ball of queasiness in his stomach and leading him nowhere and he hated it.

Junho stared at him for a few moments before moving his gaze to the menu in his hands, “You didn’t have to say yes if you didn’t want to go out.”

“But I did want to come!” Sunggyu insists, “You think I’ll say no to a free meal?”

Junho laughed, “I’m being used, is that it?”

“Yes,” the other answered simply but Junho saw the playful smile on the other’s lips and he only smiled in return.

“In that case free up Sunday night.”

“Why?” Sunggyu asked a little confused.

“It’s a surprise,” the younger male said mysteriously, making Sunggyu raise a brow in question.

“Are you kidnapping me?”

“Would you mind if I did?” the corner of Junho’s mouth quirked up and Sunggyu barely got a chance to give the other a small eyed scrutinizing before the waitress came by again.

“Ready?”

“Yes,” Sunggyu answered quickly, “Let me have a large strawberry chocolate milkshake with a slice of red velvet cake, two blueberry muffins, and a cream cheese muffin. He’ll have a hazelnut latte,” Sunggyu said, directing a small but cute smile at the younger male.

Luckily the waitress didn’t question anything and gave a quick nod, “Anything else?”

“That’s it.”

“Okay, it’ll be out in a few minutes,” she said as she collected the menus from both men.

“Thanks Gayoon,” the girl flashed him a smile before stepping away, leaving a confused Junho to look after her.

“You know her?”

“Yeah,” Sunggyu answered and looked down at his fingers, “I used to have a huge crush on her back in middle school.”

“Really?” Junho asked, intrigued. He didn’t really know anything about Sunggyu before his high school years.

“No, I’m just kidding,” the senior laughed making Junho gape at him in disbelief, “She’s Yeunja’s friend.”

“Ah, I’m just a fool to you, aren’t I?” Junho shook his head, feigning a hurt expression.

Sunggyu shook his head in amusement before deciding to change the topic and ask about Taecyeon, the teammate that left that Saturday night. Junho explained that his mother experienced a heart attack. She was rushed to the hospital in time so there wasn’t any severe damage.

Their conversation turned to lighter topics as their desserts arrived with their drinks. They decided on the café after Sunggyu suggested it. He wasn’t able to go in a long time so he figured introducing it to Junho wasn’t a bad idea. Sunggyu explained that he wanted to share the pastries because they served them in generous amounts and Junho understood the moment he saw them. 

It was maybe an hour after they finished their desserts that they were both sitting in Junho’s car outside the café. The rain started up again and it pelted steadily against the metal sheet of the car’s exterior and windows. It was such a relaxing sound. It was disturbed slightly by the sound of the engine whirring to life and the music that started to waft through the speakers. Sunggyu turned it down to just above a murmur.

“You like the rain?” Junho asked.

“Yeah… isn’t it relaxing?”

“It’s nice,” the younger male said, switching the gear to drive before reaching for Sunggyu’s hand.


	28. Third Time

It was Saturday night and Sunggyu was staring at his phone that was sitting quietly in front of him on the bed. It was a whole week since the last time he saw Woohyun and it was strange… especially since the junior practically lived with him. (It was a lie that he didn’t seen Woohyun, of course he’d see him, but only from afar. It was hard to miss when either one of the brother’s left the house. Their noisy choice of transportation let everyone in the neighborhood know when they left and when they returned.) They exchanged a few texts here and there but something changed. At least it felt that way.

Woohyun stopped by Wednesday while he was out to leave the green mushroom he won for him at the festival and gave Yeunja her stuffed toy as well. It was currently sitting on the shelf that contained all his books and mangas, staring back at him. The sun may have broken through the clouds a few times the day before, but it returned to the same gray that became the norm for the week. It didn’t rain since Thursday but it was still very humid and hot.

He couldn’t stop thinking about what happened with Woohyun. He’d forget the incident for a while but then his brain would bring it back to the forefront of his mind and he’d sigh in agitation. Why was it so complicated? There were times when he wished everything would just go away and disappear. He wished the Nam’s never moved in, that Junho never returned, that he never ever held such feelings for anyone… but it was no longer like that. His sister Haneul said it once, “One does not control the matters of the heart.” How right she was.

He remembered the conversation with Haneul and Yeunja the day before. They noticed his reserved attitude and how distracted he was recently. It’s like he wasn’t all there most of the time. It was his older sister, Haneul, that finally decided to ask about it after dinner. She seemed a little reluctant to pry but when she heard the heavy sigh her younger brother released her gaze softened.

 

 

“Junho is the clear choice here, isn’t he?” he asked her with no real precursor.

She understood immediately what he was talking about, “Is he?” she countered.

“Isn’t he…,” it was a statement.

“I believe this is the first time I’ve actually seen your head up in the clouds.”

“It’s a little hard to keep both feet on the ground right now.”

There was a moment of silence before Haneul spoke again.

“I think—” there was a knock on the door and both siblings diverted their attention.

“Can I come in?” it was Yeunja’s muffled voice that wafted through the closed door.

“Yeah.”

She opened the door and paused when she saw her two older siblings sitting on the bed facing each other with slightly grim expressions on their faces.

“Is this a good time…?” she asked.

“What Yeunja?” Sunggyu asked exasperatedly.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing. You haven’t been eating much lately…” she trailed off.

“Get in line,” Haneul stated.

“Fine, but I’m waiting in here,” she said as she pulled the chair from Sunggyu’s desk and placed it next to the door before sitting down and leaning back. Haneul gave her a last glare before turning to Sunggyu again.

“I think, the advice you want to hear is not to feel it out with your heart, because obviously that’s not getting you anywhere. You’re a sensible kid, you’ve always been better at rationalizing than going with your gut instinct. So tell me,” she said as she searched his eyes, “do you want to take a risk?”

“...Does it…hurt…?”  _ To get your heart broken…? _

“Yes,” Yeunja answered, gaining their attention, “it hurts a lot.”

“But even if you make the ‘correct’ choice…everything changes in time. There will come a time when you will get hurt despite everything you do. You may avoid it now, but it will come eventually,” Haneul said, “Besides, has Woohyun done anything or said anything that could cause this much doubt in your mind?”

“A first love is always special, right?” Yeunja asked Haneul, a small smile on her lips.

The older sister smiled, her features softening as she remembered fond memories, “Right....,” before turning to Sunggyu, “but you have someone who told you his feelings up front. If your feelings have changed or even if they haven’t, then I think that would be your answer right there.”

 

 

They have changed. He couldn’t deny it, and as he was sitting next to Junho for their third date, he could feel his heart fluttering happily. Maybe he  _ was _ making a mountain out of a molehill but he wondered how it was so easy for others to analyze what he himself couldn’t so easily. He always thought it would be easy to make the right choice. Why was it so hard once he was in the eye of the storm? He decided to distract himself instead. He was sure things would fall into place for him…eventually.

“Why don’t you want to tell me where you’re taking me?” he asked with a slight pout.

“I said it was a surprise.”

“Is that what they call kidnapping nowadays?”

Junho laughed, “I’m sure you’ll like it.”

“Oh really?” 

“Yeah, I’m willing to bet everything I am.”

“Hmm,” Sunggyu hummed in thought, wondering where it could be.

Something dawned on him and he tried not to get his hopes up. He didn’t want to get disappointed if it turned out to be something completely different than what he was thinking at the moment. There was quite a bit of traffic and his heart fluttered the moment he saw the name of the venue. There was no way.

“Surprise,” Junho said when he saw Sunggyu perk up in his seat.

“No way,” Sunggyu said, half in disbelief and half in excitement, “How did you get them? When the tickets came out Dongwoo and I couldn’t get through! And they sold out so fast.”

“Yeah… I had a lot of help actually. I owe the team a huge favor.”

Sunggyu couldn’t help but laugh, “The whole team?”

“Yeah. It was a nightmare.”

“I’ll have to thank them too then. Did they all really leave already?”

“Yeah they did, but you can start with thanking me,” the moment the traffic came to a halt he turned to look at the senior and playfully wiggled his brows.

The copper haired male rolled his eyes in amusement, “Thank you, oh great one.”

 

 

The venue was medium sized, Sunggyu noticed. It wasn’t too huge. There was a standing area about the size of two basketball courts. It was about halfway full already with a line still trickling in from the outside. They were about an hour or so early but it was great timing. They weren’t incredibly close to the stage but they weren’t too far either. The senior looked around briefly. There weren’t any windows as far as he could tell and there was a raised platform towards the back with a few tables and chairs for the bar. There was a steady and low hum from the crowd gathered there already.

“Is this okay? Do you want to get closer?” Junho asked the male, leaning in close to keep the conversation somewhat private.

They could hear exactly what everyone else around them was talking about.

“It’s fine,” he said, “I just hope they hurry it up. I wasn’t made for standing.”

They continued their small chat, occasionally commenting on some things they heard from the people surrounding them or simply going off on a tangent about random things. They did begin to notice that their personal space kept growing smaller and smaller. They were standing a few inches away from each other at first and now they were somehow pressed shoulder to shoulder. They could see the big crowd that formed behind them.

“I’m tired, carry me,” Sunggyu whined a few minutes after the supposed start time. They were standing for an eternity and the show was running late on top of it.

“Why are these shows always late? Why can’t we have seats? Why isn’t it a seated venue? This is ridiculous,” the senior continued to whine and Junho could only laugh quietly by his side. He’s never exactly seen Sunggyu complain so openly before. He must have been really annoyed.

He wrapped an arm around the copper haired male’s shoulders, bringing him in to lean against him in order to comfort him a bit, but it was all forgotten as the lights went out, prompting the crowd to yell in anticipation. There was pushing, a lot of it, and if they felt like they were tightly packed before, the crowd from behind them proved them wrong as they kept trying to get closer to the stage. It was a feat to try and remain as static as possible but he found himself apologizing to the people in front of him often before the crowd finally settled down, the intro instrumental ending and the tune of a new song stringing along seamlessly, prompting more cheers from the crowd.

“Are you okay?” Junho asked over the loud music and the cheering crowd.

“I’m fine!” Sunggyu yelled, a big smile on his lips before turning his attention towards the band that he admired for a very long time.

It wasn’t the first time he was seeing them live, but the last time he did was about two years ago, a few weeks after Haneul’s high school graduation. There weren’t many concerts in Jeonju. They usually went to bigger cities like Deagu, Gwangju or Seoul and since Haneul was old enough to go by herself, she took him along to a concert in Busan.

The first songs got the crowd yelling and throwing their hands up, some even attempted to jump along in the cramped spaces. Between the small breaks of the loud atmosphere, the two managed to communicate, indicating which songs were their favorites and which ones they knew by heart. The crowd reacted favorably to all the songs that were released as singles, and they gave the loudest cheers for the most recent one.

There was one song that brought out Junho’s boldness. They were shoulder to shoulder throughout the concert so far but as soon as the first lines of the song washed over them in pulsing vibrations, the junior bumped his shoulder to get his attention. He glanced at the male questioningly before Junho grabbed the back of his hand.

_A little shy, but we’re already drunk on each other_  
_We leave everything in this curious attraction_  
_It stripped the world of its values one by one_

_ This song… _ , Sunggyu thought and couldn’t help the smile that overtook his lips as he sang along to the words, remembering them all in a rush. Junho was soundlessly dedicating this song to him. The chorus that was in English was sung loudly by the crowd. It was a sweet song, one that went from calmly melodic to heavy riffs the next second but it still held that haunting serenity that they were known for. The senior couldn’t help but close his eyes to take in the music and the person grasping his hand, hoping the image would etch itself into his memories and remain there for as long as possible. He felt the hand shift in his, Junho’s fingers seeking to find themselves between Sunggyu’s.

_Let’s not change the world_  
_But make another one_  
_Just for you and me_

Sunggyu’s chest swelled with emotions and he gripped the hand tighter in his own but he didn’t dare turn to look at the other. He could feel his heart filling more and more and the doubts were starting to be pushed aside.

 

 

By the time they arrived to Sunggyu’s house it was close to eleven. The rain started up again sometime when they were in the venue and they decided to wait out the traffic before heading home. They talked excitedly about the concert and the songs and how amazing Kim Jongwan sounded live. They talked about how the small venue shook with how loudly the crowd sang along to the songs.

And now they stood outside on Sunggyu’s porch, the rain drowning out the usual sounds of the crickets and cicadas that played an endless tune for the night. It was silenced and overtaken by the fall of the rain.

“It was fun, thank you. I don’t know what I could do to thank you for this.”

“You don’t have to do anything. I’m happy you liked it,” Junho said, giving him his handsome eye-smile.

It happened instinctively; Sunggyu leaned in to give him a small kiss on the cheek because he felt the urge to do so. Junho was really cute and adorable. He wasn’t expecting to have the junior’s large hands cupping his face soon after.

“Sunggyu…can I…?”

It was déjà vu all over again but only this time Sunggyu wasn’t pulling away, he was no longer panicking. He closed his eyes and allowed what he was undeniably delaying for so long to finally happen (all thanks to his crazy best friend). Damp lips met his and warmth surged through him, rushing from the base of his skull to the tips of his fingers and down his spine. The kiss Dongwoo stole from him was nothing, completely meaningless and in no way prepared him for it. It was only a gentle press of the lips but it was enough. It was enough to have his skin giving way to goosebumps. It was true when his sisters said that everything else just faded into the background, but his heartbeat resounded loudly in his ears. They pulled apart slowly and they met gazes briefly. The kiss wasn’t rushed and if anything, it made the feelings Sunggyu had been harboring for nearly a month in his heart solidify. 

He barely had time to register his emotions when he heard a loud thud over the steady rain, as if something hard fell on the porch. He turned quickly, his eyes wide and searching towards the Nam’s. There was no one in sight. Sunggyu let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“What is it?” Junho asked, his voice low as he too turned to survey the area.

“Nothing… I thought I heard something…”

The junior smiled at him, “You know, it’s true what they say.”

“About what?” he asked, deciding to turn his full attention to the younger male in front of him.

“Third time‘s the charm.”

Sunggyu blushed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes, shoving the other away playfully instead. But Junho took that hand and leaned forward again, pressing against the other’s lips, catching Sunggyu off guard, setting the senior’s senses off yet again.

They parted again and Junho spoke softly, “You should go inside. I don’t want you catching a cold because of a little rain.”

“…Right…,” Sunggyu unlocked the door with a bit of difficulty before turning slightly to face Junho, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Fate was working a lot faster than he could have imagined. But it wasn’t done with him yet.


	29. Bared

“You giving me advice on guys when you can’t even sort your own love life? That’s rich,” Yeunja stated with an eye roll as she closed the door of the car.

“I’m not giving you advice. I’m stating facts,” Sunggyu defended as he followed suit, climbing out of the passenger’s side.

“There are no set rules for this stuff guys, grow up,” Haneul followed up, popping the trunk open before getting out of the car as well, “Now shut up and take this stuff inside before I strangle the both of you.”

“We’re just having a friendly discussion! Right?”

“Yeah, we’re just kidding,” Sunggyu stated with a laugh before taking a handful of bags and leaving the two sisters to gather the rest.

They returned from a grocery run for the dinner that Mrs.Kim was going to prepare for Aecha’s birthday. Sunggyu thought it a pity that it happened to land in the middle of the week. He entered the house noisily before announcing their arrival. He heard some footsteps running across the wooden floor and was greeted by Choonyei.

“Gyu! Hoya came by earlier looking for you. Woohyun was with him.”

“Hoya and Woohyun?” she nodded her head, “What did they want?”

She shrugged her shoulders, “They didn’t say.”

“…Okay, thanks Choonyei,” the thirteen year old nodded before heading off and leaving Sunggyu with his thoughts.

“Excuse you, gramps,” Haneul maneuvered her way around the male that was still standing at the foyer.

“What?” Sunggyu asked offended, before following suit with Yeunja behind him.

“We’re back mom! Are we really going to—”

The copper haired male set the bags down on the table next to the others.  _ Should I…go? _ He asked himself. He hadn’t spoken to either one for a few days and he wondered if they wanted to hang out. Summer vacation was ending soon and after an eventful beginning to the vacation, things simmered down to almost nothing.

“Sunggyu, you should invite the Nam’s. Mom made us buy enough meat to feed a small army.”

“Sure, okay.”

“And you should invite Junho too,” his mom suggested, “When are you going to introduce him to us?”

“You already know Junho, mom,” Sunggyu said exasperatedly.

“Well yes, but I think we need a formal introduction of your boyfriend,” she said calmly as she moved about the kitchen.

It made Yeunja and Haneul cover their mouths in an attempt to contain their laughter. Sunggyu was blushing. He could feel his whole face burning. What made her think they were officially dating?

“He’s not my boyfriend!”

“Not yet!” Haneul intervened smugly.

“He’s not? But you two have gone out so much… are you just playing with him?”

“What? Mom no!” the senior quickly defended himself, “It’s just… we haven’t really… It’s complicated,” he settled with an easy way out, “I’ll go get the Nam’s,” he said before bolting out of the room.

He heard his sisters laughing in the kitchen as he closed the front door behind him, heaving out a sigh after he finally did so. He shifted his attention to the house next door and worried his bottom lip. He wondered if Hoya was still there. He could invite him over too. He climbed down the porch steps a little begrudgingly but stopped completely when he caught sight of his best friend.

He was happy to see him until he realized the state that was in.  _ He’s crying _ . “Dongwoo!”

His friend looked up, his eyes still brimming with tears before having Sunggyu in his sight. His crying picked up again. The copper haired senior ran to him, completely alarmed by what he was seeing. Dongwoo crying was never a good thing, unless there was a smile on his face. However this time, all signs of joy were devoid from his expression.

“They hate me Sunggyu,” he said once the taller male reached him. The blond was trying to keep his voice from trembling, “My dad and Hoya,” his voice broke, “they both hate me,” he managed to say clearly before breaking down.

 

 

Sunggyu sat beside his blond best friend on the couch. He wrapped an arm around Dongwoo, allowing him to rest his head on his shoulder, hoping he could offer comfort that way. Haneul was kneeling in front of the blond male and Yeunja was sitting next to him. Choonyei and Jinho were watching from a distance, unsure about what was going on. A phone rang somewhere in the house. It sounded so loud.

“Hello?” They heard Mrs.Kim answer, “Oh Hyunae, are you okay? What’s wrong? … Dongwoo? I’m not sure if he’s here. Did something happen?”

It was almost as if Mrs. Kim was standing in the middle of the living room having the conversation. Everything sounded crystal clear. There was a long moment of silence before it was broken by a gasp.

“…Yes of course. I’ll be happy to take him in.”

“Dongwoo… what happened…?” Sunggyu asked again, becoming even more worried by the conversation.

The shorter male sighed shakily, trying to delay the truth that he wasn’t able to accept completely yet, “…He found out…and he kicked me out.”

“Your dad?” Dongwoo nodded.

“B-but…How?”

“…Hoya…”

 

 

There was furious pounding on the front door, startling Mrs. Jang and Dongwoo from the show they were watching. The blond male got up from the loveseat when the second round of knocking almost shook the whole house. He opened the door warily but relaxed visibly when he saw Hoya standing on the other side.

“Are you trying to knock the door down? What’s wrong?” he asked, furrowing his brows when he noticed the mood the other was in.

“Did you know?” Hoya demanded, his voice was rough with contained anger.

“Know what?” Dongwoo asked, completely perplexed.

“About Sunggyu,” When the blond male still showed no sign of understanding Hoya decided to clarify, “That he’s gay?”

Dongwoo’s face went pale immediately, “Who told you that?” 

Hoya nodded in understanding his mouth set in a straight line, “So you did.”

His gaze drifted away from the jock standing in front of him.

“You knew…”

“…So what if I did.”

“‘So what if I did’…? How could you keep it from me?!” Hoya’s voice finally rose, “How could you keep something like this from me?!”

Dongwoo was taken aback by the outburst but just as suddenly he filled with an unknown anger, “Something like this? Because of  _ you _ ! Because we knew  _ you _ were going to react like this! Does it bother you that much?! Does it bother you that your two best friends are gay?!”

Hoya took a step back, his eyes widening at the new information, “…You…”

“Yes, me too,” Dongwoo finally confessed, his eyes brimming with tears, “I’m gay too,” It wasn’t the way he wanted to tell him but things were no longer under his or Sunggyu’s control.

Hoya stared hard at the male standing in front of him before a disbelieving sigh escaped his lips. He shook his head in what Dongwoo could only guess was disappointment before turning on his heel and storming off, not saying another word. The blond tried to contain his tears but a small sob escaped his lips as he watched the other go. Just like that, he lost the person that meant so much to him.

He closed the door softly and took a shuddering breath his mind running through the scenario that just unfolded and wishing he could change how things turned out, but he knew it was impossible. There was nothing that could be done now. He turned with every intention of locking himself up in his room for the rest of the day until he caught sight of his father. His tears stopped immediately and instead his body went rigid.

“Dad…”

He could only explain the look on his father’s face as disbelief but just as quickly it turned to anger. 

“No Kwangsun, don’t!” his mom called out as she approached him to try and pacify him. But there was nothing she could do. 

Dongwoo didn’t have time to react, only managing to see his father’s hand when it was just about to strike him. He gasped. It wasn’t the stinging pain on his left cheek that brought the tears, but the look on his father’s face. He couldn’t trust himself to speak at that moment.

“Get out. I don’t want to see you again.”

“Kwangsun!” his mother reprimanded.

“You knew about this, didn’t you?”

Mrs. Jang recoiled.

“Be grateful I’m not kicking you out too,” he spat before pushing Dongwoo aside and opening the door.

“You better be gone before I return,” were his final words before he slammed the door shut. 

They were left to stare after the closed door, no one making a single sound. Jinju and Kkotip, his two older sisters got to the living room in time to witness the whole thing.

“Dongwoo…” his mother called out.

But Dongwoo didn’t wait. He threw open the door and he ran. He wanted to disappear, to get away from everything and staying at home wasn’t going to help, much less if his father wanted him out of his life.

 

 

“Dongwoo…” Sunggyu turned fully to hug the male, his own eyes shedding tears, “It’s my fault. If I had been home he wouldn’t have gone to you. I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t want to be right,” Dongwoo sobbed into his shoulder, ignoring the other’s words completely.

The single sentence made Sunggyu’s heart break even more for his friend. He never thought Hoya would find out, much less his father (even though everyone knew he would have to, eventually) and the fact that Dongwoo’s fears were very real didn’t really settle with either of them. Sunggyu always thought Hoya would try to understand them but maybe both of them didn’t know him as well as they thought.

“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay Dongwoo,” the copper haired male tried to soothe.

There was nothing more he could say. Their well-kept secret was out in the open and they could only hope things would turn out okay in the end. The only comfort he could give was his presence. They were in it together and if Hoya decided to drop them as friends, it wouldn’t matter because Dongwoo had him and Sunggyu would never abandon him.

“Come on,” Sunggyu tried to encourage, wiping away at his eyes and sniffling, “let’s have fun tonight. It’s Aecha’s birthday and we have lots of meat!”

Sunggyu’s sudden enthusiasm forced a small laugh from the other, allowing him to pull Dongwoo with him towards the bathroom to wash their faces, Haneul and Yeunja heading towards the kitchen to help their mom.

For the time being, Sunggyu was successful in having Dongwoo forget his problems. And it wasn’t until they were in the male’s room much later, with a plate full of cupcakes and mugs full of ice cream, that Dongwoo asked something that Sunggyu was also curious to know the answer of. The television was on and they were watching the second installation to a particular series when Dongwoo’s question breaks through the opening sequence.

“How did Hoya find out…?”

Sunggyu turned his attention to the male quickly. He was sitting on the floor with his back against the bed and Dongwoo took a seat directly across from him, leaning back against the wall next to the door.

“He didn’t tell you?”

Dongwoo shook his head. Sunggyu hummed thoughtfully before reaching for a cupcake (it was a mini cupcake, decorated with blue icing and sugar sprinkles). Even if Dongwoo didn’t know, Sunggyu had his suspicions. It certainly couldn’t have been a coincidence that Woohyun was with Hoya when they went to look for him and it filled him with dread. He didn’t know why, but the fact that they would actually find out never really crossed his mind. Sure he talked about it with Dongwoo but the reality of the situation never settled concretely and now it completely turned Dongwoo’s life upside down. It was in moments like those that he realized how lucky he was.

Sunggyu sighed against the sweet treat but didn’t say anything. Why was everything unfurling in ugly black wisps of smoke for everyone to see and with no way to contain it?

“We’re going to get so fat if this is all you’re gonna give me to eat,” Dongwoo suddenly said, taking the mug containing chocolate cookie dough and cookies and cream flavored ice cream.

“I’m fattening you up with love. Can’t you see?” Sunggyu teased, causing both of them to laugh.

They settled back into a comfortable silence, returning their attention to the movie playing on Sunggyu’s TV. They watched for a few minutes before Dongwoo spoke up again.

“You know Sunggyu…you’re really lucky.”

“…I know…”

“You’re gonna sleep on the bed and I’m gonna sleep on the floor for God knows how long.”

Sunggyu scoffed at him in disbelief, “Is that really what you should be worrying about?”

“Yes? My back is going to kill me!”

“Sleeping on the floor is good for your back!” Sunggyu countered.

“So you should sleep on the floor too!”

“What!? No way!”

“Is this how you treat your guests? I’m hurt, Sunggyu,” Dongwoo pouted but not before shoving a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

“Yes, you seem to be in much pain,” the copper haired male agreed, shaking his head at his best friend. He thought for a few more moments, taking a bite of the cupcake and swallowing before speaking again.

“Dongwoo…I didn’t tell you this because I thought I was just hearing things but… Sunday night… I heard a noise after Junho and I…” Sunggyu made weird hand motions.

“Kissed?”

“…Right, after we… kissed and…actually it makes sense because the porch light was off at the Nam’s. I didn’t really see anything but…maybe that’s why Woohyun came with Hoya to look for me earlier…” he left the thought hanging, hoping Dongwoo would come to the same conclusion as he.

Luckily, Dongwoo did and he gasped, “You don’t think Woohyun saw…do you?”

“I don’t know! It could have been Myungsoo. Why didn’t I pay closer attention?” Sunggyu groaned, burying his free hand into his hair in despair.

“If anyone is to blame it’s me for not listening to you…” Dongwoo said as he put the mug down and crawled over to him.

Sunggyu shook his head. Putting the blame on someone wasn’t going to solve anything. There was no way anyone could have foreseen everything that unfurled that day because if they did, they would have changed it. The last thing Dongwoo needed to experience was the rejection of his close friend and his own father within moments of each other. He really admired the happy teen. He was handling himself well enough after sobbing all afternoon, even trying to lighten the burden Sunggyu was feeling over the situation. Sunggyu didn’t think he’d be able to cope with something like that so easily, much less try and cheer someone else up.

“Then it’s both of our faults. We’ll always be in it together, right?” Sunggyu offered a small smile.

“I won’t let you forget that, ever,” Dongwoo said as he embraced the taller teen.


	30. Anew

Sunggyu stared at his phone as everyone else moved around him. Everyone in the house gathered in the living room, himself included. He was in the chatroom that housed the Nam brothers, Dongwoo, Hoya and himself. Hoya left the chat and no one commented on it. No one tried to add him back either. It was a clear indication that the Nam brothers were well informed as to what happened as well. His phone vibrated and a new message came in.

**_Junho_**  
_hey, how are things?_

He tapped in an answer and sent it. It’s been a few days since Dongwoo became a resident of the Kim house. Within the next day of Dongwoo’s arrival, Mrs. Jang showed up at their doorstep with swollen, red eyes. There was a long discussion soon after. His parents sent the girls out to the park, leaving Sunggyu to stay with Dongwoo as both Mr. and Mrs. Kim sat down with Mrs. Jang in the living room.

 

Dongwoo’s mom was unable to do anything to convince her husband to let Dongwoo return, unless of course, he renounced to being gay. The living room went quiet, deathly so, with that announcement as all eyes turned to the blond. He could see the hope in his mother’s eyes but he couldn’t do it. The short teen shook his head, not giving way to his father’s demands.

His father, like Mr. Kim, held high expectations of him since he too was the only son out of three children. He tried to meet his demands and he did his best to meet most of them. He spent most days studying if he wasn’t hanging out with Sunggyu but it was never enough. No matter what he did that lingering, “You could have tried harder,” stung in his chest and he wasn’t going to take it any longer.

“I can’t, Mom. This is me, and if he won’t understand it…”

“We’ll be happy to take him in,” Sunggyu’s mom filled the silence, “It’ll be easier for both of you. Dongwoo is a good kid, and he should be surrounded by supportive people, not someone like Kwangsun,” Mrs. Kim tried to reason.

“How did you do it? How did you break the news to Dongyul?” Mrs. Jang asked, referring to how Mr. Kim found out about Sunggyu’s own preferences.

“…We actually found out at the same time. I had my suspicions but it was hard to really know for sure. He’s my only son after all. I didn’t have anyone to compare him to. And whether he’s this way or that way, all my children deserve the same love. They were born from the both of us…,” Mrs. Kim let out a small laugh, “We actually had a really big fight the first night I brought up the possibility of Sunggyu being different,” she explained, revealing something that even Sunggyu didn’t know, “I just kept pressing the matter until he finally decided not to explode and listened to me instead.”

Sunggyu stared at his parents for a few moments as he remembered exactly how it was that his secret was spilled none too graciously by his second eldest sister, Eunae. Dongwoo only just confessed the feelings he held for Hoya when Sunggyu’s courage grew to tell him that he also liked boys (purposefully omitting that he happened to like the same boy as well). When he noticed his sister standing at the door with a look of disgust on her face, it was already too late. She had dashed downstairs almost immediately, yelling at the top of her lungs that Sunggyu and Dongwoo were gay.

He wasn’t sure why Eunae resorted to something like that. He never got a chance to ask her but as he followed down the stairs a few minutes later, after calming down a little, he was surprised to find his parents calmly waiting for his arrival. After getting him to fetch Dongwoo they sat in the dining room before they asked that inevitable question: “Is it true?”

Lying seemed to be the best way out of it but Sunggyu couldn’t bring himself to do it. He was trying to encourage Dongwoo by entrusting him with a similar secret and the next second he was going to be confessing it to his own parents. He struggled with himself for a long time already and it was no longer an unsure issue within him. It was simply a matter of acceptance.

And he nodded, tears escaping his eyes as he looked down at the long mahogany table. He felt like he let down his parents; his father. His father expected many great things from him because he was the only male and he couldn’t bring himself to face the look of disappointment he undoubtedly wore at the moment.

“Dongwoo?” Mrs. Kim asked.

He could see his best friend cast his eyes downwards as well, nodding his affirmative. They heard a chair screech against the tile floor and in the next moment he could smell his mother’s perfume as she embraced them, pressing them against her bosom as she whispered, “It’s okay,” over and over in hopes of comforting them. Mr. Kim didn’t reproach him, nor did he avoid him. It was as if nothing changed between them and he would have to thank his sister for forcing him to come out with a secret he didn’t want to accept.

Sunggyu realized he really was lucky as he watched Mrs. Jang cry in front of them with Dongwoo trying to calm her down, saying that he’d go visit whenever his dad was away. That did the trick. Dongwoo’s father was usually always on business trips so it helped to ease her mind.

Dongwoo’s sisters came by later on in the day, bringing him boxes of clothes and the necessary bathroom amenities, but it escalated quickly to more tears and apologies that neither party really needed to say.

The auburn headed male wanted to stay by Dongwoo, to keep him from getting depressed and as such, turned down all invitations to go out. He felt the bigger priority at the moment was his best friend’s wellbeing, and Junho would have to wait for a while. He explained everything that happened and the male offered his help and support.

It has been four days since things spiraled out of control. Dongwoo was doing better but he would have moments where he would space out, his usually happy demeanor replaced by a serious look and a gaze that didn’t focus anywhere before being interrupted by Choonyei and Jinho.

 

It was Friday night, game night, and they were currently debating what game to play. There was much more commotion than other nights. Aecha and her husband joined them that night and there was a lot of fuss over choosing the first game to play. Sunggyu wasn’t putting up much of a fight, his phone distracting him from putting in his two cents. The doorbell rang and Yeunja was quick to get on her feet, rushing to answer.

“Let’s have a majority vote!” Aecha yelled above the arguing, “Put all the games on the table and we’ll vote on them.”

Everyone gathered around the table, chatting and arguing with one another. They were about to start when Yeunja called for Sunggyu.

“Woohyun’s outside. He says he wants to talk with you.”

A sense of dread filled him almost immediately. He knew he’d have to talk to Woohyun sooner or later, but he didn’t work up the courage to do it. He wanted for everything to settle into relative normality at least. He glanced at Dongwoo who offered him a worried look. He pocketed his phone before getting up to go meet with the male.

“Why didn’t you invite him in, honey?” Mrs. Kim asked.

“He said he didn’t want to inter—” it was the last thing Sunggyu heard his sister say as he approached the door. He stepped outside when he noticed Woohyun was leaning on the railing by the porch steps staring down at the wooden floor. He closed the door quietly behind himself and stood with his back against it. The silence that reigned was awkward.

“Yeunja said you wanted to speak with me…” Sunggyu finally said after an elongated silence.

It was so surprising how the senior felt that he was speaking to a complete stranger. He didn’t know what to expect.  Suddenly it felt like all the things that brought them together as friends didn ’t exist anymore.  _ Calm down, calm down _ , he repeated in his head.

“I actually wanted to talk to you too,” he added, hoping to ease the tension a bit.

He pushed himself off the door and took a few steps forward. There was still plenty of distance between them, more than two arm’s length, when Sunggyu turned to him.

“I…I’m sorry,” the auburn headed male finally said, “I didn’t mean—”

Woohyun shook his head, “You don’t need to apologize, just like you don’t need to explain anything to me.”

Sunggyu’s resolve and excuses, which is essentially what they were: excuses as to why he kept it all a secret, all withered away at those words and he felt his heart shrivel along with it. Woohyun was disappointed, that much he could tell.

“You didn’t trust me. In the end, that’s all that matters.”

“That’s not true,” Sunggyu denied, “I was afraid… and you can’t tell me I had no grounds to be afraid. Look at what Hoya caused.”

Woohyun finally looked up at him but quickly averted his eyes when he caught Sunggyu’s.

“Then why was Junho the only exception?”

“Junho? Why do you think that?”

Woohyun hesitated to speak for a moment before turning his head away in the opposite direction, “Sunday night, you two…”

Realization dawned on Sunggyu, “You saw…?”

“N-no! Myungsoo did…! He told me about it…” Woohyun explained quickly, “I thought Hoya knew, but he was as shocked as I was…”

“So it was you two that told him,” Sunggyu said to himself, realizing that his hunch was correct. Despite knowing that, he wasn’t angry. Things could have been handled much more differently if he convinced Dongwoo to confess their secret… at least it was what he was hoping for. As things were, there was no way he was sure it would have gone smoothly either way.

“ I thought we … ” for some reason Woohyun hesitated for a second, looking confused himself, before clearing his throat and composing himself, “A- Are you two dating?”

“Hm?” Sunggyu asked, unsure of what he was talking about before piecing things together, “Oh! No! I mean, not exactly…”

“I see…” Woohyun bit his bottom lip before pushing himself off the railing and turning to face Sunggyu, “I actually only came to let you know that we’re moving out.”

The bright auburn headed male felt his heart drop at hearing those words, “You’re moving?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I only have one more year left of high school and I need to concentrate on my studies, so we’re going back to my grandma’s,” Woohyun explained.

Sunggyu nodded in understanding. He was going to have an excruciating second term, not that the first one wasn’t terrible to begin with. But even if he knew, he didn’t see why they couldn’t stay and finish up in Jeonju. He didn’t say a single word even if it felt like his heart dropped from his chest.

“That was all I wanted to say. I was going to tell everyone but I forgot that today was Friday,” the junior said, pointing to the house for no reason, “Sorry.”

“Yeah… I don’t… I don’t think the girls would take it very lightly,” Sunggyu agreed, struggling to keep his voice steady. He hoped Woohyun didn’t notice.

“I’ll tell them tomorrow. See ya.”

“Are you...always this impulsive?” he asked.

Sunggyu clenched his fists when the only reaction he got was a careless toss of a hand. He could feel his heart constricting as he watched the junior leave. It was an involuntary reaction, he couldn’t control himself and he berated himself for  being unable to say anything else . But at that point ,  he didn’t think he could speak. His throat felt tight and his chest felt heavier than ever.

Woohyun was actually leaving.

 

“I’m still surprised with Dongwoo,” Junho said as he placed a small bag down in front of them.

Sunggyu stared off into the distance, his gaze unfocused as he nursed the drink he bought himself earlier. It was Saturday , a full week after he felt like they reached on amazing milestone on that beach, and yet Woohyun was leaving. The last thing he wanted to do was go out. He just wanted to curl in bed and sleep, sleep everything away. However that proved impossible when Dongwoo forced him to get up and get dressed because “Junho is coming by in fifteen minutes.” And now he was sitting under a tree at a nearby park with said male next to him.

“I wasn’t expecting him to call me.”

Sunggyu snapped out of his trance and offered Junho a small smile, “Dongwoo is something else. He’s worrying about me when he’s got the whole house worrying about him.”

“Yeah, he’s a great friend. And so I had to listen to him. You’ll be whiter than a sheet of paper if you stay locked up inside.”

Sunggyu smacked the man’s thigh, his lips forming a small pout.

“Hey! Dongwoo said that! I was just repeating it!” Junho said with a chuckle.

The senior sighed, his mind wandering again. He checked his phone and fumbled with it for a while before deciding to place it aside. He was spacing out and he was being restless. He wasn’t sure when Woohyun and Myungsoo were leaving and he at least wanted to say a proper goodbye to the sophomore. Myungsoo was like the younger brother he never had, so he grew especially fond of him. Although granted, he wasn’t sure if Myungsoo would want to… He forced that thought to a screeching halt. Myungsoo wouldn’t treat him coldly, he was sure.

He was startled out of his thoughts as he felt something on his thigh.  It was all too familiar a feeling but when he looked down it wasn ’t Woohyun’s sharp nose and soft eyes that looked up at him. He sighed unknowingly.  Junho placed his head on his lap, making himself comfortable, offering a shy smile up at him. Sunggyu couldn’t help but return it , hopefully masking the sadness he felt with it.

The auburn haired male would stand to argue that Junho was incredibly handsome, he had a great smile, an amazing personality and he was caring and probably most important of all, completely straightforward. Sunggyu could also stand to argue that his being straightforward was the reason why Junho was with him at that very moment.

“Sunggyu…” Junho started before sitting up abruptly and forcing all of the senior’s attention on him.

“What?” the older male asked, startled by the sudden change in the younger man.

“Will…will you…be my boyfriend?”

 

When Sunggyu arrived home not long after, he was relieved to find that the brother’s  didn’t  le ave yet. He finally received the message he was waiting for a few minutes ago. Dongwoo promised to let him know whenever the Nam’s would finally leave. He could see Myungsoo saying goodbye to the girls swamping him just a few feet away from the porch. The two youngest, Choonyei and Jinho were crying the loudest. Yeunja and Haneul were shedding quite a few tears as well. 

In the short time they took residence in the house next door, they become far too integrated into the lives of the Kim siblings. Much more than any one of them could have imagined. Much more than Sunggyu could have ever imagined.

“Myungsoo!” Sunggyu called, successfully gaining his attention.

“Ah, I thought I wasn’t going to see you,” he said, relief all over his features.

“I can’t believe you guys really are leaving… Stay with us, I’ll be your only brother,” Sunggyu joked.

The girls moved away to let them say their goodbyes in peace. While the younger girls grew very attached to him, it was obvious to them all that Sunggyu was Myungsoo’s favorite Kim sibling.

Myungsoo smiled his cute dimpled smile, “I have to take care of Woohyun.”

The older male made a face that made the sophomore laugh quietly. “I’m gonna miss you,” Sunggyu finally said, his voice tinged with sadness.

“Me too…” Sunggyu hesitated to make a move but it was taken out of his hands as Myungsoo moved forward and hugged him.

The senior found himself shedding tears for the millionth time that week as he held the youngest brother close to him. He was no longer going to have the two neighbors who filled his afternoons with laughter, teasing, and even studying. He was no longer going to have lunch with them, go out with them, or play with them. He was no longer going to walk out into the balcony and see them doing their exercise routine every Saturday morning. They were leaving and they were going to take all those wonderful moments with them.

“We’ll keep in touch,” Myungsoo promised as he finally pulled away, wiping the tears that escaped him away.

“I’m holding you to that,” Sunggyu said as he mimicked the other’s actions, “Take good care of your brother.”

Myungsoo nodded before bowing towards Junho who was standing off to the side and returning to say goodbye to Jinho, Choonyei and Dongwoo. He also bowed to Mr. and Mrs. Kim before waving to everyone and heading towards his brother who was making sure the delivery service got the new address right. They watched in silence as they got things ready to go. Woohyun went back inside the house and was gone for a while, probably double checking that nothing got left behind before re-appearing and giving an approving nod to his brother. The porch looked lonely without the fancy sofas decorating it.

Woohyun and Myungsoo turned to the family one last time, waving their goodbyes to the Kim ’s . Sunggyu saw when the eldest brother turned to him and they stared at each other for a few moments before the senior felt an arm wrap around his shoulder. He turned to Junho for a second, noting that his attention was on the man before them, before turning his attention to Woohyun who was mounting his motorcycle. Sunggyu was unable to hold the sigh that escaped him as he saw that. The helmets went on soon after and the roar of the motors powering up filled their ears.

This was their goodbye. Not a single word exchanged.

Another last round of waves was shared between the Kim ’ s and Nam ’ s before they finally pulled out of the driveway and drove away. Sunggyu watched them go, trying his best to keep the heavy feeling in his chest at bay since he couldn’t control his tears very well. He could feel a huge lump in his throat and he did all he could to keep it down. 

“Are you okay?” Junho asked, wiping the stray tears away from Sunggyu’s cheeks. 

He figured he would be, given enough time. Hopefully Junho would play a big part in that. For the time being, he had something he needed to do.

“I’m fine,” he said, his voice a bit thick. He cleared his throat, hoping to get rid of the feelings that lodged themselves in there.

“I have an announcement to make,” Sunggyu said aloud, his voice still sounding  a bit strained due to his stuffy nose, capturing his family’s attention. He gripped Junho’s hand in his.

He remembered telling Yeunja that it was possible for people to end up with their first loves. Even if he said it to comfort her, he himself knew, somewhere in his heart, that he wouldn’t be getting  _ that _ happy ending. However, no one could say to him that his ending wasn’t happy either.

But then again, no one ever said to him _this_ was his happy ending.


	31. Epilogue: Part I

“Thanks so much for the ride Mrs. Lee,” Sunggyu smiled at his friend’s mom before turning his attention to said friend.

“I’ll be waiting for my Christmas present!” the currently short haired brunet teased as he shut the trunk of the car.

Sunggyu could only shake his head in amusement as he closed the car door. Jinki pulled the only luggage that the other brought with him. Sunggyu previously sent the majority of his belongings by mail beforehand. He swung the backpack that he carried with him the whole bus ride back from Seoul over his shoulder.

“You spend the whole year with me. If that’s not a gift, I don’t know what is,” Sunggyu said, prompting laughter from the brunet which he followed suit.

“Get going. I think the cold is affecting your brain,” Jinki said between laughter as he pushed the male towards the house.

Sunggyu only laughed, waving goodbye to Mrs. Lee before taking the square luggage and rolling it to his home for the holidays. There was two day old snow covering the front lawn, he could see footsteps in the snow that lead to their driveway and in random patterns all over it, a sign that Jinho and Choonyei played on it. A cold blast of wind made him pull the scarf he was wearing higher to cover his ears.

He only managed to take his keys out when the door to the house was thrown open and he was greeted by a pouting Choonyei. He looked at the second youngest sister before speaking, “I’m home?”

“It’s about time! Yeunja’s been home since Saturday and she’s further!”

“Yeunja doesn’t have any friends,” Sunggyu argued, making Choonyei snicker involuntarily.

“I heard that, jerk!”

“Is Sunggyu back?” he heard Jinho, the youngest sister, ask from somewhere inside the house.

“I am! Choonyei’s not letting me in!” Sunggyu yelled, hoping someone would help him. It was too cold.

“Choon, let your brother in!” they heard their mother yell from the living room.

The dark haired girl glared lightly at her brother before stepping aside, allowing him to enter thanks to their mother, “Either way, it’s Tuesday! School was out Saturday!”

“I was hanging out with some friends. You’re worse than mom,” he complained as he walked to the staircase and set his bags down.

Choonyei always looked up to Sunggyu and now that he was gone for most part of the year, she really looked forward to having him home for the holidays. He would come home during the summer and winter break but sometimes he’d skip out on holidays and they’d see him even less. She just wanted to spend time with her only brother and to see him lose any and all interest in coming home really upset her and Sunggyu knew that. Unfortunately the reasons he didn’t come back were beyond his control, or rather, coming back was always thwarted by a certain someone. He decided to ignore it for now and ventured further into the house to find the rest of the family and greet them. He’d try and make up for it later.

“Ugh, whatever,” Choonyei brushed it off but not before kicking one of Sunggyu’s bags and heading to the kitchen afterward.

“Hi mom! Choonyei’s mad, huh?” he asked as he hugged his mom in greeting, taking a seat soon after.

She was sitting in the living room watching a show.

“Well we were all expecting you to come back Saturday since your last class was Thursday,” his mother said a little pointedly, “I almost thought you were going to be taking winter classes.”

Sunggyu laughed sheepishly, “We were celebrating the end of the year…”

“Right…,” she gave him a side long look before sighing, “I’m glad you’re back safe and sound.”

Sunggyu smiled and leaned in to give his mother a kiss on the cheek before returning to the staircase and taking his coat off.

 

 

The days leading up to Christmas were very busy. Sunggyu and Yeunja were constantly on errands. They were sent out to buy ingredients and last minute gifts, they were assigned an obscene amount of presents to wrap, and an obscene amount of presents to send and things were made especially harder to actually do and finish when Dongwoo became a part of the sibling duo.

Dongwoo refused to return to his parent’s house after what happened two years ago. There was no way he could return after what his father told him. Luckily the Kim’s were generous enough to offer their home to him as if he was just another one of their kids. He sometimes went for quick visits to his former home and only when he was sure his father was out. They hadn’t seen or spoken to each other in over two years. 

It was Christmas Eve and Sunggyu and Yeunja were currently sitting on the living room floor arranging the last bit of presents under the Christmas tree. Dongwoo went to visit his mom and sisters. They informed him that his father would be getting home later on in the day so he left to see them as soon as possible.

“Ah, even though we get worked to the bone this always ends up being pretty fun,” Yeunja said as she stared up at the twelve foot tree.

“It does. Although I feel like there are a lot more presents than there were last year,” Sunggyu claimed as he stood.

“That’s what happens when a baby joins the family,” Yeunja stated as she too stood up and dusted her jeans off.

“She hasn’t given birth yet.”

His sister laughed, “You can’t blame mom and dad for getting excited over their first grandchild. Besides, what are you complaining about? You bought the kid some stuff too!”

Sunggyu could only offer her a guilty smile before speaking, “Speaking of which, when is everyone getting here? Didn’t they promise to come and help mom?”

“I think we’ll be stuck with dinner duty too,” Yeunja groaned.

Sunggyu grimaced before his attention was taken by Jinho. He heard the doorbell ring and Yeunja calling out that she’d get it before turning back to his younger sister. Jinho asked a question that everyone else was hell bent on asking.

“Is Junho coming this year?”

“He promised me he was. He should be getting here sometime this afternoon,” Sunggyu assured the twelve year old as he glanced at the clock, noting it was already eleven in the morning. There was still time.

Jinho seemed satisfied with the answer and headed towards the foyer so she could get to the kitchen. Sunggyu hoped Junho kept his promise. He already broke quite a few of them.

“It’s been so long!” 

Yeunja’s excited voice reached him a few seconds before Jinho’s just as ecstatic voice rang through the house. He hurried to greet the newcomers, wondering who it could be. They were only expecting his sisters. He froze when he peeked into the foyer to see a very familiar face.

A smile stretched across Sunggyu’s lips, “Myungsoo! You came?” 

The handsome teen, who was now ending his high school years, smiled at him before going in for a hug. Sunggyu asked the male to come, just like he did the two years before, but he never showed up to anything. He was expecting the same outcome this year. He wondered what triggered his acceptance of the invitation this time.

“I brought someone else with me…” the male said as he turned. Sunggyu watched as Hoya opened the door.The older male gave Myungsoo a skeptical look before he noticed the person that came in behind him.

“Woohyun!!” Yeunja exclaimed in excitement as the older and just as handsome brother walked in much more tentatively.

It was almost impossible to describe the jolt he felt in his chest the moment he caught sight of the male he hadn’t seen in over two years. It triggered emotions he thought were past him, but seeing him completely dissolved the lock he placed over them and slammed opened the door to have them flood him all at once. He was just as handsome, if not more so than what he remembered, and was dressed much more smartly. Dress shoes replaced his expensive sneakers, dress slacks took over the jeans he wore all the time, and an undone double breasted overcoat donned his torso that was covered with a pretty blue, button up long sleeve shirt. Myungsoo was dressed similarly, the only difference being the color of his shirt and the design of the coat.

He wasn’t sure if his emotions showed on his face but the moment the male turned to look at him, Sunggyu turned away and headed into the kitchen out of sight.

“Okay, I get it, you’re not excited to see me but this is just rude,” Hoya complained as the girls flanked Woohyun, choosing to ignore him.

Sunggyu thought he got over how Woohyun left so suddenly and without a proper goodbye, but he was dead wrong and it was stronger than his joy to see him after so long. They were supposed to be friends and he didn’t know if he had any right to be mad and he didn’t care because he just was.

“Who is it?” his mom asked as she looked up from the batter she was pouring into a series of pans.

“Hoya. He brought Woohyun and Myungsoo,” he answered.

“What?! Oh my—Sunggyu, pour the rest of them in the pans they’re ready to throw into the oven afterward!” she said quickly as she took her apron off and threw it on the kitchen table as she headed off to see the three males.

Sunggyu glared towards the entryway lightly before sighing and going to the pantry to reach for a clean red apron. He could hear the commotion move to the living room and he breathed easily as he tied the strings behind his back. He checked the stove to make sure it was preheated before continuing the task his mother left him.

_ ‘Please let them be distracted enough…’ _ he pleaded silently, hoping no one went to pester him.

“Hey!” Yeunja whispered loudly. Sunggyu could only close his eyes in annoyance. It was just so like her to do exactly what he didn’t want her to.

“What?” he asked curtly, not turning to look at her.

“You’re not gonna go say ‘hi’?”

He shot her a glare, worthy of scaring anyone off, and she seemed to realize that it was probably not a good idea to press the matter. However, she was never one to give up so easily.

“Be the bigger person!”

Sunggyu nearly rolled his eyes, “Don’t give me that crap. I’m pretty sure I’m the  _ big _ ger person anyway,” he said as he moved to the third pan, crinkling the foil that was sitting under it to catch any leaks before pouring the remaining batter.

“He hasn’t grown much, has he?” she played along, hoping to lighten her brother’s less than pleasant mood.

“Hardly. He looks like a dwarf next to Myungsoo.”

A weakly muffled laugh caught both of the sibling’s attention and Sunggyu’s eyes opened wide in surprise. Myungsoo was standing at the threshold listening to them. Yeunja’s laugh resounded throughout the whole house as Sunggyu tried to shush her, trying to keep himself from blushing.

“I didn’t know you felt so strongly, Gyu.”

“Pretend you didn’t hear that,” Sunggyu said as he finished his assigned task.

“The dwarf part or not going to say hi?”

Sunggyu stopped for a moment to glance at the male, deciding to not answer. Myungsoo sighed, sparing Yeunja a glance before speaking again, “I don’t blame you… He deserves it.”

“I’ll say,” he stated dully, pulling the oven door open to place the cheesecakes in to bake.

Yeunja bit her lip as she watched her brother place them in properly before closing the oven door. She turned her attention to Myungsoo before shaking her head, letting him know that there wasn’t much that she could do to get her older brother to greet Woohyun. Sunggyu was one stubborn man.

“Where’s Dongwoo?” Myungsoo decided to change the subject.

“He’s visiting his mom. He’ll be back soon,” he answered before gathering all the dirty dishes left behind and dumping them in the sink. He weighed his options and decided he’d wash them as well. His mom would give him an earful if he left them in the empty sink.

Yeunja gave Myungsoo a shrug before exiting the kitchen and heading towards the living room again, leaving both guys in the room. There was a moment of silence in which the clattering of the dishes was the only sound. It stretched out to a point where Myungsoo was feeling awkward before he decided to move forward.

“Are you mad at me?”

“…No, I’m not. I wasn’t even expecting you to show up actually.”  _ Much less with your brother in tow _ , he thought with a small pout. He invited him the last two times as well, but the younger Nam brother always refused.

As luck would have it, the Nam’s hometown was actually Seoul. He managed to keep in touch with Myungsoo because unlike his brother, he didn’t turn away from him. They actually saw each other every so often since being in the same city allowed them too. Myungsoo was quite familiar with everything that was going on in Sunggyu’s life and vice versa. It became an unspoken norm to avoid any conversation involving his brother, although sometimes some things slipped from Myungsoo’s lips. Sunggyu however, would continue on with the conversation, as if he hadn’t heard anything. He did wonder if he came off as pathetic, pretending that the other never existed. The younger Nam brother never said anything about the matter and for that he was grateful.

“Is it really so bad?”

The brunette sighed, “I…I don’t know,” something definitely hurt but he wasn’t sure what or why. He was angry as soon as he saw his face, but now all that he felt was an ache in his chest. To have someone he loved so much turn away so suddenly and without a word… He wanted to say so many things to him and at the same time he wanted to forget it all. 

He wasn’t the one who owed an apology.

Myungsoo didn’t say anything else on the matter and instead changed the subject, “Is he coming?”

Another hefty sigh escaped Sunggyu as he set aside the last dish and closed the tap water. He was referring to Junho, “I honestly don’t know, but I’ve made up my mind… Anyway, still single? No one to kiss under the mistletoe this year again?”

“I have you this year,” Myungsoo teased as he wrapped an arm around the older male’s shoulders.

Sunggyu laughed, “Since when did you get so bold? Where’s my shy little Myungsoo?”

The shorter brunet laughed as he tried to pull away from Myungsoo’s grip, his puckered lips trying to land a kiss on his cheek. After unsuccessfully pulling at the younger male’s hands he somehow managed to slip away, laughing loudly at the other’s disappointed pout and managing to put some distance between them.

“I’ll get you, Gyu,” Myungsoo promised, presumably about to go after him until he noticed movement by the door.

They both stopped what they were doing when they noticed it was Yeunja with Woohyun. Sunggyu quickly undid his apron ties and removed it, throwing it across the back of a chair (he was using the kitchen table as an obstacle) before leaving the kitchen and not giving the man he passed a second glance. He was aware of the eerie silence he left behind as he climbed up the stairs to head to his room.

 

 

Sunggyu didn’t know how much time passed when he heard a knock at his door. He was playing a video game in order to distract himself. He laid in bed for a few minutes but quickly became frustrated with himself at everything that came to mind before deciding that any kind of mindlessness would be better than his own thoughts at the moment.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“It’s me,” Dongwoo’s muffled voice answered.

“Oh, come in.”

The door opened to let his closest friend in and he wasted no time to engage him in small talk, “How’s your mom?” 

“She’s fine. She did cry again though. I guess she still sees me as her baby despite my age,” he joked, sitting on the floor with his back against the bed. Sunggyu was laying on his stomach on the mattress.

“Well, you  _ are _ the baby,” Sunggyu reasoned, “and your sisters?”

“They’re doing well,” it was a short answer and Sunggyu knew what was coming next, “Why are Woohyun and Myungsoo downstairs?”

“…I invited Myungsoo and… well I didn’t exactly expect for him to be a packaged deal,” the brunet explained.

“They were always together. Although I didn’t think Woohyun would ever come back.”

Sunggyu only grumbled as a response. He was kind of hoping he’d never have to see him again, as childish as it was. Woohyun hurt him quite deeply and he was starting to realize how deep those wounds were, if he went by his reaction after seeing him. He hated it when he realized Woohyun grew even more incredibly handsome. He hated it even more when he couldn’t keep his heart from skipping a beat before going into overdrive as if to make up for it. But he would never admit to it. He would refuse it.

“Come on. Don’t let it ruin the mood. It’s Christmas Eve and all your sisters are downstairs now too. You’re the only weirdo hiding out in your room,” Dongwoo chastised lightly as he got up.

“Do I have to?” Sunggyu asked, trying to buy time.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

He pouted as he stood as well, tossing the console controller on the bed and following the shorter male out of their shared bedroom. It was going to be hard to ignore the stupidly handsome older Nam brother.

When they headed downstairs, everyone was gathered in the living room. The conversations were plenty but they gradually ended up breaking up into smaller groups. The living room didn’t have enough seats for 11 full grown adults. A handful gathered in the dining room, another amount gathered in the kitchen and the rest shared the living room with the two younger Kim siblings that were watching T.V.

Sunggyu was in the small group in the dining room with Dongwoo, Aecha, Dongjun (Aecha’s husband) and Mr. Kim. They were seated sporadically around the ten chairs that surrounded the long table. Sunggyu was seated on the left, with a view into the living room. Dongwoo was standing by the threshold into the living room while Aecha and her husband were sitting on the right with Mr. Kim sitting next to Sunggyu. The conversation mostly revolved around Aecha, her pregnancy, and how she got the strangest cravings at the worst possible times. Dongjun was on a story telling spree.

“She made herself a peanut butter banana sandwich smothered in whipped cream a few weeks ago. We didn’t have bananas or peanut butter so I had to run to the closest mart at two in the morning in the middle of the snow apocalypse!” Dongjun explained in mock exasperation.

“She doesn’t even like bananas!” Sunggyu exclaimed.

“I know!” Dongjun agreed, “But tell me why the next morning she was making herself a banana and mayonnaise sandwich!”

Dongwoo and Sunggyu made faces as they pretended to judge her. She would only dismiss them with a wave of her hand, as if that would stop them. That wasn’t to say they weren’t completely confused as to why she would want such a bizarre combination.

Mr. Kim only chuckled, “Mrs. Kim actually craved the same thing when she was pregnant with Aecha. She doesn’t like mayo that much but she would eat those sandwiches all day.”

“That actually makes me feel a little better,” Dongjun sighed a little dramatically, earning an elbow to the rib courtesy of his wife, causing light chuckles.

“This is only your first one, son. I had to live through seven.”

“Dad, you’re an inspiration to us all,” Sunggyu joked, “Girls, our dad’s a superhero,” he yelled across the house, catching Yeunja and Woohyun’s attention.

“What are you guys going on about?” Yeunja asked as she approached the dining room.

“About your mom and Aecha’s weird food cravings,” Dongwoo supplied.

Sunggyu glanced at Woohyun when he approached the open doors as well, his attention on Dongjun. He began to tell another one of his misadventures as he was trying to supply his wife’s supposed unreasonable demands when he felt Dongwoo whisper in his ear.

“I see you.”

“What?” he asked as quietly as he could.

“How many glances have you thrown his way?” Dongwoo returned just as quietly.

Sunggyu felt his face heat up as he got up quietly, so as not to attract too much attention, “Shut up,” he said as he dragged Dongwoo towards the back of the dining room, “So now I’m not allowed to look at him?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. But with how obvious both of you are, I’m surprised you—” he stopped abruptly, as if he had been caught telling a lie.

“What?” Sunggyu asked, perturbed by the sudden silence.

Dongwoo merely raised his brows in mock innocence and pretended to avoid the other’s gaze in a playful manner before changing the subject completely, “Is Junho even coming? It’s getting late.”

Sunggyu’s lips frowned lightly as he was reminded. He didn’t received any message or call of any kind to let him know he was even on his way and it was already five o’clock. The brunet only shrugged, unable to provide an answer. It was just his luck that his phone finally went off.

“That’s probably him,” he said as he pulled the device out of his pocket. He showed Dongwoo the caller ID that definitely showed a picture of said male. He took a deep breath before answering, “Hey! We were just talking about you. Are you here already?”

Dongwoo watched as Sunggyu’s smile slowly disappeared from his face.

“Oh,” he glanced at his best friend before leaving the living room and heading toward the back of the house on the other side of the dining room, into his parent’s home office. 

It used to be a room used for storage. The Kim’s accumulated a lot of baby furniture and useless items through the years and decided to store them there since they didn’t have a use for the modestly sized room until a few months ago when his father was promoted to supervisor.

_ “Yeah… I swear I tried to get out of it but…I can’t make it. We were just given a new assignment and I can’t afford to lose the practice time with the guys. I’m sorry. I know I promised. I’m really sorry.” _

Sunggyu should have grown immune to being disappointed with date after date being delayed last minute and being made to wait just to cancel everything in the end anyway.

He sighed loudly, “Stop saying you’re sorry. I’m tired of it. The only times you manage to spare for me always end up with your excuses and apologies,” he said as he closed the door behind him. He was aware that his voice sounded tired and sad but that’s exactly what his relationship with Junho turned into.

When they started dating, things went amazingly well for the first few months. Every time they both had a break from school they’d meet up and go out. Sunggyu headed to Seoul for his college of choice around February and it became even easier to see each other. They went on dates quite often and every moment they could they spent it together. It was enjoyable. 

Everything went downhill so quickly after Junho graduated. He no longer had time to meet him, his texts became few and far between and Sunggyu was stood up time and time again.

It wasn’t that Sunggyu didn’t try. He tried again and again, adjusting his own schedule to match Junho’s. He would skip going home on holidays in hopes of seeing him if only for a day or even a few hours. He would delay his return home if it was an extended holiday and not even that was enough.

_ “…I’m so sorry.” _

The brunet ignored it, “So you’re really not coming?”

_ “…No…” _

Sunggyu sighed yet again, letting his head drop back to focus on the light fixture on the ceiling. It felt like there was not much to think about when he was angry. He knew that if he thought about it too much he’d regret it. He made his decision firm after days and days of thinking. If Junho cancelled this time, he’d end it. He wasn’t going to be okay always being put second. 

“You know something?”

_ “…What?” _ It was weary. Sunggyu could note the uncertainty of that single word but he decided to ignore that too. He couldn’t let himself linger on things that didn’t matter anymore.

“I think…,” another deep breath, “I think we should break up,” his voice was steady but he certainly didn’t expect the swirl of emotions that settled at the pit of his stomach as the words left his mouth. The idea crossed his mind a few times but he seriously started considering it about a few weeks ago. Luckily he wasn’t abandoned completely. He still had Myungsoo who kept him company and distracted him when he would get too down. Myungsoo was the one to make him see reason and after talking with Dongwoo he was sure about his decision.

Junho was on a path that would thrive under the spotlight and Sunggyu would have no place there. The brunet knew it from the very beginning. He knew it before they started dating, but he took a chance anyway, hoping that Junho truly proved that he loved him, but as it was, it felt like he was only in the way.

_ “What…?”  _ Junho asked. His voice became quiet in disbelief.

“This way I’m not waiting for someone that will never show up and you can fully concentrate on  _ you _ .”

Sunggyu heard the door to the study open and he turned in alarm, relaxing when he realized it was Dongwoo.

_ “You can’t be serious, Sunggyu.” _

“But I am. You just don’t have time for me anymore. This, what we have...,” he stopped, his voice began to shake. The only thing he could remember was being left alone, waiting for him to never show up. Is that what their relationship came to? “I just…! …I don’t want to date someone who’s never there!”

_ “I thought you knew this was gonna take up most of my time!” _ Junho yelled in return, “ _ When I talked to you about this I made sure to tell you! _ ”

“You know what else you told me? That you’d make time for me! When was the last time you actually made it on time?! Hell,when was the last time you actually showed up?!” Sunggyu could feel his anger bubbling and the sting of tears forming in the corner of his eyes, “You didn’t want to give up that dream even though you said you weren’t gonna go through with it! I supported you because  _ I _ couldn’t be so selfish! This is why…!”

A moment of silence never sounded so louder than at that moment,  _ “Sunggyu…” _

“This is why…,” Sunggyu wiped away at the tears that were falling, controlling his voice to make it sound steady and sure, “It’s over.”

_ “No, Sunggyu…,”  _ he could hear the pleading quake in Junho’s voice that he could only guess he was trying to control, but Sunggyu wasn’t going to falter.

“We’re done. Thank you for everything.”

_ “No! Sunggyu, wai—” _

The brunet ended the call and let his hand fall limply to his side. He could feel a tightening in his chest. It hurt to hear Junho sound so desperate. It hurt, but things couldn’t keep going the way they were. He wasn’t going to be the only one putting in effort when Junho didn’t even try. Love wasn’t forged by only one sided effort. It took two to make a relationship work, and he realized it became one-sided a long while ago.

Dongwoo wrapped his arms around the taller male and buried his face in his back. Sunggyu smiled warmly and placed a hand above the shorter male’s. His other hand wiped away at the remnants of sadness on his face, hoping his eyes didn’t turn red.

“Are you okay?” the shorter male asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine…” he sniffed, “We should head back and tell my mom,” Sunggyu tried when the other wasn’t letting him go.

He heard a sniffle and he couldn’t help the amused sigh that escaped him, “Why are  _ you _ crying?”

“I’m not crying!” Dongwoo claimed as he let go of the other. He wasn’t, but his eyes were rimmed with unshed tears, “It’s just… it’s sad. After everything that happened between you two…”

“Let’s not get too into this,” Sunggyu said quickly as he turned the other to usher him out the door before stopping, “Wait, we should probably go wash our faces. You still look like you’re gonna cry.”

“Right,” the shorter male agreed and sniffed again.

“Okay,” Sunggyu nodded before stopping Dongwoo for the second time, “Also, don’t mention what happened to anyone, okay? The last thing I need is pity.”

“Got it. My lips are sealed.”

 

 

“Mom!” Sunggyu called out as he stepped into the kitchen.

Mrs. Kim, Haneul, Hoya and Myungsoo looked up from the kitchen table as the brunet walked in but he didn’t pay anyone other than his mom attention.

“Junho just called to let me know he’s not making it. So we can start dinner whenever you want.”

“What? Oh no. He’s already on his way, right? We could wait a little longer until he gets here,” she tried to negotiate.

“Actually, he’s still in Seoul. He said something came up and he couldn’t cancel it,” he explained.

“Well that’s unfortunate,” she said sadly before standing.

“Yeah, he’s gonna miss out on some delicious food.”

His mother laughed as she took her son by the shoulders and led him towards the cupboards, “So let’s start setting up the dinner table!”

Sunggyu purposefully ignored the scowl that took over Myungsoo’s features when he relayed the news. If there was one person he would be unable to fool, it would be him.

 

 

Dinner was lively. There was no shortage of laughter and stories to tell. Yeunja needed to squeeze onto the table. She didn’t want to be stuck eating dinner with her younger sisters in the living room. She wanted to be a part of the commotion as well.

“Did I ever tell you how I met Jiyeol?”

There was a collective sigh from the siblings as they rolled their eyes, playfully making a scene. Their father was talking about how he met his wife and while they heard it a million times before, some of their guests hadn’t.

“Well, it was during the Sori Festival in the old hanok village. She was one of the performers on stage during the pansori. There were three girls but Jiyeol was the prettiest out of all three and she had the most beautiful voice.”

“Ohh, now I see where Gyu gets his talent from,” Dongwoo announced loudly, making Sunggyu turn red as the attention turned to him.

“Oh! Remember that time during the pool party! That was the only time he sang in front of a crowd!” Yeunja exclaimed excitedly.

“We should have a Christmas version of that,” Hoya added, enjoying the squirming of his friend, “But Sunggyu should be the only singer.”

He glared at Hoya but rushed to keep his dad talking, “Aren’t you gonna tell them how pretty mom was in her hanbok?”

“Oh right! She was beautiful!” his father continued. 

He glanced around the table and was glad that the attention was diverted except for one particular Nam. Their eyes met briefly before Sunggyu chose to ignore it as he turned his attention to his father’s story.

“Like a lone red rose in a sea of white lilies. It was simple times back then. Our entertainment was music festivals with traditional music and pretty girls in hanboks. Now you kids go all crazy with that hip-hop stuff and half-naked people on stage.”

That caused a roar of laughter to rise.

“You’re not young and cool anymore dad!” Yeunja playfully chastised.

There was light banter between everyone as they finished up dinner. Mrs. Kim was unsure if anyone would have room for dessert but at the mention of something sweet to wash down the delicious dinner with, there were no complaints. Haneul and Sunggyu volunteered to help bring the treats as Dongwoo and Yeunja helped to pick up the dirty plates left from dinner itself. Sunggyu took on the task of cutting the cheesecake into eight pieces. His sister brought over the smaller plates and gathered the silverware. Mrs. Kim brought over the strawberry glaze she prepared the day before. They worked together efficiently. Sunggyu would place a piece on a plate and his mom would decorate the sweet pie with glaze as Haneul added a bit of chocolate syrup.

The compliments made Mrs. Kim smile wide as they finally began to serve them.

“Is this what you were baking earlier?” Myungsoo asked as Haneul set a plate in front of him.

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Oh, great… Sunggyu baked,” Hoya said warily as he looked at the plate that said male set in front of him.

“Excuse you, I merely poured it into the pans and placed them in the oven.”

Sunggyu accused Hoya with his mother when the look of mistrust didn’t leave his face. Hoya quickly apologized as he pushed Sunggyu’s hand away. He was going to take his precious dessert from him!

When Sunggyu returned with the last plate in hand he realized what his sister did. She purposefully didn’t give Woohyun one. He held in the sigh and instead approached the male without making a fuss before placing the dessert in front of him.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he answered automatically before he turned around to head back to the kitchen and store what was left of the cheesecake.

He heard a loud commotion, created by his sisters nonetheless, as he left the dining room. He was left to wonder what it was, even though he had an idea. He finally spoke his first few words to Woohyun. He felt his face grow warm. His sisters were ridiculous sometimes.

However, to his sister’s dismay, those were the only words that were directed his way for the rest of the day. They remained in the dining room, making conversation and catching up with each other. It wasn’t until Sunggyu grew uninterested in where the topics headed that he stood and began to gather all the dirty dessert plates. He gathered a few that he could carry comfortably before taking them to the kitchen. He merely groaned when he saw the previous dishes soaking in water.

“I’m using the dishwasher,” he grumbled before setting the plates aside and beginning to do just that.

Myungsoo entered the kitchen a few moments later, placing the plates he brought with him on the counter as he watched the other work. Sunggyu glanced up and smiled at the male.

“Did you want some more?”

“Hm? Oh, no thanks.”

“You sure? If you’re thirsty you can get what you want from the fridge. You know this is your house.”

“Thanks.”

Neither said anything else as Sunggyu clinked around the plates, glasses, and silverware. Sunggyu knew that Myungsoo didn’t move from his spot. He was suspecting the younger Nam brother had something he wanted to ask him but was thinking of a way to do it, and he knew it had everything to do with Junho. He closed the dishwasher and started the wash cycle before turning to the male with hands on his hips, surprising him.

“What is it? I know something’s bothering you.”

The handsome teen stared at him unflinchingly, studying his features before finally speaking, “Junho—”

“Ugh, time for us to find something to do!” Yeunja declared loudly. It sounded like she was right by the doorway, “But I’m so full.”

Myungsoo decided to keep his mouth shut as Sunggyu’s younger sister came into view, “What are you two doing?”

Sunggyu was a little grateful for the interruption. He didn’t want to talk about what happened yet and there wouldn’t be enough privacy to do it comfortably anyway. He turned around to start placing the dishes that were used for dessert in the sink to soak as well.

“Washing dishes,” Sunggyu provided.

“Fun,” the girl stated, sarcasm evident, “By the way Myungsoo, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“How many hearts have you broken over in Seoul since you left?”

Sunggyu listened with a smile on his lips. Myungsoo was going to be Yeunja’s next target. He figured she got all the information she wanted out of Woohyun already and was proceeding to extract what Myungsoo was up to for the past two and a half years. It’s not that the brunet never updated the girls on what was going on with him, he just condensed it and left out the details.

“What?”

“Oh come on, don’t think I don’t know about the handful of girls you abandoned when you left!”

Sunggyu finished his task and turned, “That’s right! Do you know the headaches that caused? They wouldn’t stop following me around and asking me where you went. It was a nightmare.”

“Not to mention Mr. Heartbreaker over there,” Yeunja pointed towards the threshold. Woohyun was standing there, on the other side. He didn’t enter the kitchen. “There were hordes of girls demanding to know where their precious Woohyun had gone to and why he hadn’t told anyone he was leaving.”

“It was quite a commotion at school,” Sunggyu agreed.

“What happened to, uh… that girl? The one that you punched?” Woohyun asked out of curiosity. She was the one giving the Kim’s a hard time after all and he wanted to know what happened.

Sunggyu’s obvious eye roll and sigh made the two brothers raise their brows in question.

Yeunja’s forced laugh was a cause for concern, “When school started up again she was going around spreading rumors that the reason why you left was because you got someone pregnant. That someone was supposedly me.”

“What?!” he asked in shock.

“Apparently she knew you spent a lot of time with us. Plus she was convinced we were…” she made an obscene gesture with her hands, causing the brother’s to laugh, “you know... She tried to slander my name as much as she could and made the last few months of my Junior year miserable. God knows she gave me a really hard time but she never confronted me directly. Everyone was convinced I fought like a guy.”

“What did she do?” Woohyun asked, intrigued by the new information.

She remained thoughtful for a moment before speaking, “Well… You remember Dojoon?” she asked, waiting for the nods that confirmed it, “We actually ended up dating for a while, maybe a month, before I found out he… that he cheated on me with Gyuri, from the start,” she sighed sadly.

Sunggyu remembered that day very well. He had never seen his sister so heartbroken. She cried all afternoon and they couldn’t do anything about it. Sunggyu would have punched the guy himself, but was rather pleased when he saw the scene unfold earlier in the day right after classes in front of the school. That “Woohyun Punch” as they all dubbed it eventually, also put Dojoon in his place.

“Hoya was furious when he found out. I mean we all were, but he also gave him a piece of his mind… Let’s just say he added to the bruise Yeunja gave him,” Sunggyu explained.

“So yeah, that happened…,” the Kim sister said with a sigh before shaking her head in an attempt to dispel those thoughts, “Anyway,do you have a girlfriend?” Yeunja asked, changing the subject completely.

The brunet could only shake his head at his sister’s invasive question. Despite being incredibly handsome, Myungsoo was quiet and intense. He was attractive and a little scary even though he didn’t mean to be. It was just his personality to be reserved and a bit serious. That’s how Sunggyu and the rest of the Kim’s got to know him. It did take a while to break the shell, but once broken through, he was a funny, cheerful, and passionate friend. He saved those parts of himself for people who gained his trust. Sunggyu was lucky enough to meet his closest friends, a tall kid a year older than Myungsoo named Sungyeol and another kid a year younger named Sungjong. Sunggyu got to know them and he considered them friends as well. It made the brunet proud to see the shy kid from two years ago slowly opening up.

“But you have someone you like at least, right? I mean, come on, a smile and maybe even a hello will have them at your feet,” Yeunja tried to persuade half-jokingly.

“Like I’m sure you have all the guys at college,” Woohyun said teasingly.

“Uh, excuse you, I can’t. I have a boyfriend. He’d get jealous,” Sunggyu’s sister said, brushing off the comment but making Woohyun and Sunggyu laugh.

“Shut up, Woohyun. You don’t have a girlfriend either,” the long haired girl pouted, “What are you guys doing wrong?”

The brunet was surprised to hear such news and he turned to look at the male. He watched as the other shifted uncomfortably and avoided meeting Sunggyu’s careful eyes.

“We don’t  _ need _ girlfriends. Besides, didn’t you just get a boyfriend this year?” Myungsoo asked.

“I was waiting for the right one!” she defended.

“Can’t we do the same?”

“You guys are surprisingly passive about this. But I can agree with that. If I ever find out a girl plays with either of you two, I will tear her a new one.”

Myungsoo smiled and shook his head.

“How come you never said that to me?” Sunggyu complained as he crossed his arms.

“Because Junho’s a great guy. He knows better,” she reasoned.

The brunet’s playful smile slowly faded. He didn’t meet Myungsoo’s gaze, preferring to redirect the conversation, “So when are we meeting  _ your _ boyfriend?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I want to make sure it’s serious before I go introducing him to everyone, you know? It’ll be a year in May! So maybe sometime aft—”

Sunggyu didn’t pay much attention to what she said, taking in the new information that he heard. Woohyun didn’t have a girlfriend? There was no way he didn’t have one in the past two years. So many were vying for his attention when he was living in Jeonju so he didn’t see why that wouldn’t multiply in the big city.

 

 

“You know, I think Myungsoo suspects something’s up,” Sunggyu said into the dark room.

It was past midnight and their guests left only an hour or so ago. Everyone retired to their rooms not long after. It was a long, tiring day and after a nice hot shower, Sunggyu was laying on a yo on the floor. He lost a quick game of rock-paper-scissors and so Dongwoo claimed the bed.

“Yeah, he cornered me and asked me about it. I just told him it wasn’t my place to say.”

The brunet sighed, “I guess I’ll tell him tomorrow…”

“He really cares about you, doesn’t he?” Dongwoo asked as he shifted on the bed to turn towards the male on the floor, “You don’t think he  _ likes _ you, do you?”

“What?!” Sunggyu asked, almost scandalized, “Of course not! I’m like his older brother! I do care for him a lot too, but it’s a different kind of affection. Like what I have for you, and Hoya. Besides, he knew what was going on between Junho and I… he’s probably just worried,” he tried to explain.

“You’re right. I forgot that he knew about it.”

“Yeah. I’ll definitely tell him tomorrow,” Sunggyu stated as he sighed.

“So I heard Woohyun doesn’t have a girlfriend,” Dongwoo said teasingly in an attempt to liven up the mood.

The brunet snorted, “So?”

“Aw, come on. Don’t tell me it didn’t make you at least a tiny bit happy?” his best friend tried to coax.

There was a moment of silence and he was hoping Dongwoo couldn’t see the smile that was tugging at his lips involuntarily, “…Maybe.”

The shorter male laughed quietly, but loud enough for his friend to hear, “You still like him, huh?”

Sunggyu sighed. It was amazing how a simple exhale of breath could convey so many things. It sounded wistful, happy, excited, hopeless, conflicted... There was no denying that seeing Woohyun awakened feelings he was hell bent on forgetting, and that he somehow managed to forget for a while. He turned on his stomach and buried his face in the pillow, hoping to keep himself contained. That strong affection he felt for the younger man started bubbling up inside him the single moment he laid his eyes on him again. He was hoping Junho would show up so that he could reaffirm his affection for said man, but that didn’t happen. His emotions clashed and the sadness he felt for realizing he was unable to love Junho with the intensity he was feeling for Woohyun two years later made him feel like a complete asshole, like he lied to Junho all the time they were together.

His next words were muffled but clearly understood, “I don’t want to. I really don’t want to but I can’t help it…,” he lifted his face from the pillow to look at Dongwoo and sniffed, “And I feel like shit because I just broke up with Junho and I’m already like this.”

Dongwoo climbed off the bed the moment Sunggyu’s voice started to sound thick, “Don’t cry,” he soothed as he wiped away the tears he could see.

“I’m a terrible person for feeling this way, for treating the relationship I had with Junho like it meant nothing. I’m sad but I’m so happy.” 

The shorter male shook his head, “No. I know you loved him. We all knew. I could see it in the way you looked at him, how you spoke of him. You  _ did _ love him,” he tried to console, “But do you remember when you first told me that speaking to Junho just upset you? When you stopped trying to arrange meeting up with him? When you first started feeling like you were the only one putting in effort? Those feelings just disappeared. And it happens. Junho did absolutely nothing to keep you happy. He stopped putting you first, he stopped calling you, he stopped seeing you, he stopped showing you he cared. I don’t blame you for that at all. And it’s not like it happened from one day to the next. It’s been months…”

Sunggyu’s sigh came out shaky and he nodded.

“Besides,” Dongwoo continued, “you never really get over your first love.”

The brunet groaned and buried his face in his pillow again. Dongwoo only smiled as he stroked his hair.


	32. Epilogue: Part II

The day started far too early for Sunggyu’s liking. He stayed up late into the night talking to Dongwoo and both ended up sleeping at around three in the morning. That aside, he would have preferred a regular wake-up call instead of the abnormally cold hand against the nape of his neck that woke him in a startled frenzy. He didn’t throw a punch because the male was too far but he did groan.

“What the hell, Hoya!”

“Good morning, princess. Your mom sent us up here to wake you up. It’s almost eleven and you guys haven’t made a single noise.”

“Good morning, Gyu,” Myungsoo’s voice drifted in the room and Sunggyu squinted towards the door.

“‘Morning,” he answered as he finally decided to sit up, “When did you guys get here anyway?” he asked mid-yawn.

“Around nine-ish,” Hoya answered as he sat on the bed to begin the process of waking Dongwoo up, “Everyone’s just waiting on you two.”

“Waiting for what?” Sunggyu asked. His sleep conceived pouty lips even more prominent.

“Presents?” Hoya answered before trying to gently shake the other male awake.

“That’s not gonna wake him up,” Sunggyu stated before standing.

He stumbled a little on his feet, not able to center himself in the few seconds he was standing, causing Myungsoo to chuckle. He made his way towards the balcony doors and noted that it was snowing lightly. He slid the door open and took a small handful of the powdery snow that gathered on the floor before sliding the door closed just as quickly, “This  _ might _ do it.”

It did, luckily.

The two males decided to forgo breakfast, seeing as lunch was not far off anyway, and once they were presentable, headed downstairs. It wasn’t a shock to see everyone already sitting around in the living room in front of the t.v. There was a significant increase in presents under the tree but Sunggyu figured everyone brought gifts to hand over. It was quickly decided to go from youngest to oldest in order to appease Jinho. She was asking about the presents from the moment she woke up.

She got various electronics, to which she started testing out immediately. She developed a passion for new gadgets so she was more than pleased with her gifts. Choonyei still loved gaming so she was happy to get the add-ons for her console. Myungsoo received Sunggyu’s gift. It was a bunch of memory cards for his camera (he took on a new hobby after he left). Yeunja was happy to receive all her new outfits and a beautiful pair of gold dangle earrings that she set her eyes on a while back. Dongwoo and Sunggyu both pitched in, saving enough to buy them for her. Hoya received a few casual slim fit button-up shirts thanks to Mrs. Kim. She complained about how he was such a sloppy dresser before. Sunggyu decided to add some skinny jeans in order to complete the new outfits just to pester the male. The two best friends only giggled behind their hands when they noticed the dirty look Hoya threw them.

Sunggyu followed next and was pleased to be given a new single breasted overcoat. He owned a few that were a little old, some more worn out that needed replacement, and he was very pleased with the interesting design. He also received a scarf made out of very soft material, a few t-shirts, a set of guitar picks from Hoya, and new stereo headphones (his old ones gave out on him) from Dongwoo. He thought that was the end of it until Myungsoo stepped forward to give him his present.

“It’s from  _ us _ ,” he said as he glanced back at his brother, who suddenly became busy with his phone.

Sunggyu’s brow rose in curiosity before taking the small box from the male and thanking him. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he pulled the wrapping off but everything down to the size of the box that fit in the palm of his hand pointed to some form of jewelry. He found he was right when he pulled the top of the box off and a set of musical themed stud earrings greeted him. It was a yellow and white gold mix, one was shaped as a treble clef and the other as a single eighth note. He smiled down at the present as he remembered how surprised Myungsoo was when he noticed his pierced ears for the first time a few months ago. He thanked him and once he was done, quickly proceeded to remove the earrings he was wearing.

Everyone’s presents were similar with the small exception of Dongwoo getting various pairs of shoes (he was going through them so quickly ever since he joined the dance club in college), and Haneul getting a whole set of different colored hair dye for her to experiment with. Aecha opened her presents as well as everything that would be for her child that was yet to be born. Her husband followed suit, followed by Mr. Kim. He received a beautiful watch from his wife and Mrs. Kim received three different sets of earrings,curtesy of her husband, Haneul, and Aecha and her husband.

 

 

Lunch was skipped, there was too much to prepare for dinner so Mrs. Kim allowed them all to binge on snacks to hold them off for a while. As a result, most of the older Kim siblings spent their time in the kitchen, hoping the help they were lending their mother would speed up the process a tiny bit (Dongwoo wasn’t spared either). It took a while for Sunggyu to escape the kitchen. He needed to talk to the younger Nam brother even if said male didn’t mention anything from the day before. Myungsoo became a close friend, second to Dongwoo by a slight margin.

That wasn’t to say that he wasn’t close with Hoya, but things changed after the entire ordeal two and a half years ago. They didn’t hear from Hoya for about a week after Dongwoo was turned away from his home. Somehow the male found out about what happened and he was at Sunggyu’s doorstep apologizing for being an idiot and for all the problems he caused because of it. After talking for hours and hours on end they managed to work everything out. More than anything, Sunggyu was incredibly grateful that Hoya wasn’t disgusted, but only hurt. Dongwoo and Sunggyu understood that very well and they didn’t blame him for anything. Sunggyu also decided to bring him up to speed about the feelings he had for Woohyun and the situation with Junho. Dongwoo however, decided to omit the feelings he held for Hoya completely, hoping it was a detail that would never be brought up.

He found the younger Nam brother in the living room exploring Jinho’s gifts.

“Myungsoo, can I talk to you for a moment?” he called out, ignoring the raised brows from some of the occupants of the room.

The young male didn’t make a fuss. He simply stood and followed the older male towards the door. Sunggyu handed Myungsoo his coat before reaching for his own. Once it was on properly he called out, “Mom I’ll be back in a little bit!” he didn’t wait for a response and headed out with Myungsoo behind him.

The handsome teen didn’t say anything, he simply followed Sunggyu down the porch steps and onto the sidewalk. There were a few tracks left behind by people who were out and about. The light snow that was falling in the morning stopped, leaving an overcast sky and a few more inches of snow in its wake. They walked for a few minutes without saying anything, Myungsoo patiently waiting.

Sunggyu finally decided to speak when they were about two blocks away from his home. He didn’t realize he wouldn’t have a chance to explain anything to Myungsoo.

“Sunggyu!”

The brunet froze before scanning the area around him. He felt his blood run cold when he saw who it was. He glanced at the male next to him before returning his attention to the owner of the voice. It was Junho. He hoped the other wasn’t serious when he sent those messages saying that he was on his way. He sighed heavily, the billows of smoke escaping his lips quite noticeable despite the overcast weather and the white snow that covered the ground.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, slightly distressed.

“You didn’t think I was going to be satisfied with you hanging up on me, did you?” Junho asked. He didn’t sound angry, but rather determined.

“So it takes me breaking up with you for you to finally show your face?” Sunggyu asked in return, “Aren’t you a little late for that?”

Junho shook his head and approached him, deciding to ignore the older male’s words before taking Sunggyu’s face in his hands and examining him, “I wasn’t going to let you break up with me over the phone. Tell me now. Tell me now that I’m standing in front of you. Tell me you want to break up with me,” he urged, searching Sunggyu’s eyes. 

The brunet could only stare back at him. His lips were set in a straight line.

“God, I’ve missed you so much.”

Those words snapped him out of it and he pulled away, “Please.”

“No,” he took his face in his hands again, “When  _ was _ the last time I saw you?” Sunggyu shrugged, not caring to answer, “You’re so beautiful.”

“Junho, stop,” there was heat behind those words. The fact that he was hearing him say those things began to stir something in him, and it wasn’t anything good. He tried to pull away the hands that were on him.

“No, I need you to know,” he continued to say, holding Sunggyu’s face steady so he could look at him, “I need you to know that I still love you.”

The emotions that overflowed him were strong but the sadness overpowered whatever other feelings surged within him. What he felt for Junho now didn’t compare to two years ago. He still cared for him, he still loved him, but it wasn’t as it used to be. Seeing Junho in front of him now, he simply felt sad, sad that he couldn’t return those feelings with the intensity that Junho claimed he still held.

“You don’t,” his voice was trembling, “You don’t.”

“I do.”

“Then why until now?” Sunggyu asked, his words in danger of turning to pleads, “Why do you do this after I’ve broken up with you?!” he managed to pull away from the hands that were holding him in place.

“I thought you would understand…” Junho tried to explain.

“How much did you expect I would ‘understand’? I understood the first dozen times! I understood the countless times you left me waiting for  _ hours _ before completely cancelling on me! I’m not a fucking saint! I have limits too!”

Jinki parked the car and was standing a few feet away from the quarreling couple. He stood idly by, wondering if he should stop them before they attracted attention.

“I’m sorry,” Junho apologized and promptly shut his mouth when he saw Sunggyu sigh exasperatedly.

The older male’s voice dropped, “‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry…’ They’re just words without meaning to me now,” the brunet shook his head lightly. “Tell me, even if I wait, will it ever change? Once your goal has been reached, will you suddenly have time for me?” 

“I’ll make time!” Junho argued as he took the other by the shoulders, “I’ll make it!”

It was clear to Sunggyu what the best option was. Junho didn’t even consider giving anything up. He wanted everything. He was greedy in that aspect. He wanted to keep Sunggyu by his side and achieve his dream, but it wasn’t going to be so simple. Sunggyu would never give him an ultimatum so he would make the decision for him.

“No, you won’t…,” it was his turn to hold the younger male’s face in his hands. Junho looked tired, there were dark circles under his eyes, his once full face was drained, far too slim and he was very pale. He looked older than he should have. It was all thanks to the stressful life he was leading. Staying with Junho wasn’t the remedy and even if he didn’t break it off with him now, it would happen eventually.

“We should break up.”

He watched Junho’s face go blank as his hands fell listlessly to his side. He stepped away from Sunggyu, letting the other’s cool hands fall from his face. He caught movement off to the side and for the first time, noticed who Sunggyu’s companion was. The brunet watched as recognition crossed Junho’s features before he turned sharp eyes to Sunggyu.

“Woohyun is here?”

“…Why are you bringing him up?”

“It’s because of him, isn’t it?” Junho accused, “He’s the reason, isn’t he?”

“Woohyun has absolutely nothing to do with this!”

The male’s mouth set in a straight line, “Of course, you never really loved me, did you?”

“Will you listen to yourself?” Sunggyu asked, incredulous.

“How long have you been seeing him?” the younger male asked, taking Sunggyu by the arm, “What did he promise you?”

Myungsoo finally stepped forward and forcefully removed Junho’s grip, “He hasn’t had contact with my brother at all. So you can rest easy and stop accusing him blindly.”

“And you suppose I’m gonna believe  _ you _ ?”

“No, I’d suppose you’d believe the one you claim to love,” the tall male was stern and unflinching against Junho’s glare. He let the other’s forearm go before turning towards Sunggyu, “We should go.”

The brunet’s hurt gaze stayed on Junho’s before turning it to Myungsoo. He gave Junho one last lingering look before turning to head back home.

“So you went for the younger one instead?”

Sunggyu stopped, disbelief evident on his face as he turned his attention to Junho again.

“Lee Junho!” Jinki called out, pulling the male back, “Stop it!”

“No! No!”

“Stop saying stupid things! You act like you don’t know Sunggyu!” Jinki reprimanded as he pulled the man away, towards the car that they were riding in.

The older male didn’t pay any more attention as Myungsoo led him away by the small of his back.

“If you’re leaving me for someone else, just say it! Don’t lie to me!” Junho yelled, making him stop in his tracks.

“Sunggyu,” the taller Nam brother urged the other to keep walking and he obeyed, but not without turning to look at the now arguing cousins.

There was silence, the only other sound that passed between them were the sounds of the snow compacting further under their weight. They walked for a few minutes like that and Sunggyu wondered if Myungsoo was going to say anything at all. He wasn’t sure if he wanted him to say anything either. It was the first time he saw Junho loose himself like that. 

“I’m glad you finally decided.”

He sighed, “It wasn’t an easy decision. I do still…,” he didn’t finish his sentence.

“I do admire you,” Myungsoo said, distracting Sunggyu.

The older male turned to look at him, “Why’s that?”

“Because I happened to see you a few times… when you waited for him. You’d get there with a huge smile on your face and you would check the time diligently and when you realized he wasn’t coming you’d look so sad, like you wanted to cry.”

They continued walking for a few seconds before Sunggyu spoke up, “I did cry. I cried when I realized I was probably not important anymore.”

“You are, and that’s why it hurt to see you cry.”

The small eyed man turned to look at Myungsoo questioningly before the younger male elaborated, “There was a reason why I always sent you a message before I got there.”

Sunggyu seemed to realize what he meant and he hid his face in embarrassment. Myungsoo saw him at his weakest and never mentioned anything about it.

“You deserve someone better.”

The brunet smiled, “Even so, I sincerely hope he doesn’t think I’d do that to him. There’s no way I would.”

“Cheat on him?”

“Yeah.”

“It pissed me off, but he was just angry. I’m sure he knows that you would never do something like that.  _ If _ he knew you at all.”

“Thanks a lot Myung. I only wanted to tell you that I broke up with Junho. I didn’t think you’d have to witness it…”

“It was probably better this way. I’m glad I was there for it. I don’t know how you would’ve handled that if you were on your own.”

“…That’s a good question… but thanks for everything, especially for defending me… You’re not trying to win me over, are you?” Sunggyu asked, hoping to playfully change the atmosphere as they finally reached his home.

Myungsoo laughed, “Of course not. Although, I won’t blame you if you fall for me. I  _ am _ handsome.”

Sunggyu laughed loudly as they climbed the porch steps, “You just sounded exactly like your brother! You’ve finally been corrupted!”

The taller male could only laugh as he opened the door to let the older male through. Dongwoo was surprised to see the duo back so soon but his curiosity was sated quickly when his best friend dragged him away from the commotion to let him know exactly what just happened.

 

 

  
Dinner time finally arrived and the table was as rowdy as the night before. The only difference was Mr. Kim’s and Dongjun’s, Aecha’s husband, insistence of drinking. There were only four people old enough to drink in the house so Mrs. Kim didn’t encourage it. The other two males didn’t see any harm in allowing the younger guys a taste of the hard liquor they were drinking. It wasn’t long before a taste turned into a shot. Haneul didn’t think it was a good idea to give them straight up liquor, so she prepared a simple mixed drink for them. The drinks were prepared with a small amount of alcohol. Sunggyu was on his second glass of Madras. The rest were only allowed one glass. Woohyun however, switched to whatever the older males were drinking since they were so generously offering.

They tried to get Hoya to join, but he refused, saying he needed to drive them all home, but after so much insistence he gave in to drink a bit more. It wasn’t until Aecha made her sisters drag Hoya away from the kitchen table that he stopped drinking. Mrs. Kim went to reprimand the older men. They agreed with them and apologized but continued on as soon as she left. Myungsoo was sitting silently, switching his gaze from Sunggyu to Woohyun. The older male was in the living room mingling with the rest of the family while Woohyun was sitting on the kitchen table with the older guys. He was keeping an eye on them while occasionally joining in on the conversation in the living room.

There was a sudden and loud commotion come from the kitchen that made everyone stop what they were doing. One of the men, Mr. Kim, was trying to stand. He was having trouble getting on his feet. Myungsoo rushed forward and helped him up. The man murmured something but Myungsoo didn’t quite catch it.

“What is it?”

“Bathroom. Bath room,” the man tried again.

“I gotit, I’ll take ‘im,” Dongjun was slurring just as badly, “Gotta take care of my father ‘n law.”

“You can’t even get up, stupid,” Aecha reprimanded as she also got to the kitchen, “Dongwoo! Can you come help us put these drunks to bed?”

“Be right there!”

The rest of the family stood off to the side watching and giggling as their mom and Aecha struggled with the two guys to get them to their respective rooms.

“Sunggyu, keep an eye on my brother please,” Myungsoo asked as he and Hoya took Dongjun upstairs at the instruction of Aecha. The couple was staying in the younger sisters’ room.

“But...!”

“Watch over him, honey. Dongwoo and I have this,” Mrs. Kim took his father away from his hold and attempted to shoo him away, “Go on.”

Sunggyu sighed heavily and went back to the kitchen, standing at the threshold and looking on at the male hunched over the table, his head resting against his forearm. 

He stepped forward and leaned against the back of a chair, studying the other’s resting figure, “Just look at you,” he semi-whispered.

The male on the table started and looked up at hearing the voice. Sunggyu straightened up at that. They stared at each other for a moment before he decided it was best for him to step out into the hallway to avoid talking to the drunk male but, as he was about to move, Woohyun started speaking.

“Hi,” Woohyun smiled at him, he was swaying a bit unsteadily.

“Hey...”

“Oh, I thought you’re gunna i’nore me,” he chuckled sadly, “you did all day. Thought maybe there was no use comin’ back here.”

“I never thought you would. You left in such a hurry last time,” he didn’t mean to throw this at him while he was drunk, but he couldn’t help it. He was still hurt.

The older Nam brother turned his gaze to the wood table, “Last time...Sunggyu... You dunno what I went through after I left. As if I wasn’t fuck’n confused enough already. All this time I thought I knew myself. I thought I knew ‘xactly the kind of girl I’d fall for. She’d be smart, she’d have pretty white skin an’ long hair an’ pretty lips. Big boobs wasn’t a requirement but it’d be nice if she had ‘em… an’ a nice ass. An’ she’d look to me for comfort, she’d rely only on me an’ have eyes only for me. But you!” Woohyun turned to look at him, he sounded angry but he looked about ready to cry, “I hate you! For making me doubt ev’rything I’d ever known! I hate you for breakin’ my heart before I even knew that’s what you did!”

Sunggyu was speechless, he didn’t know what to say or do so he just listened to the other in his broken and slightly slurred drunken rant.

“You don’t know how ev’rything jus’ came down on me when I saw you  _ kissin’ _ him. I blamed it on you, for hidin’ it but… my heart was broken for the very first time, it jus’ shattered right there and it was jus’ so much easier to hide it all behind anger, behind judgement…”

The silence that occupied the room was slightly unsettling but then Woohyun continued, “You took my world from under me. You shook it up so much that even I didn’ reco’nize where I was in all of it.”

Sunggyu’s gaze softened as he realized what Woohyun was saying. He went through a similar situation, but his feet were firmly planted on the ground and every step he took changed the world around him. He had time to realize and come to terms with his feelings, with the world changing right in front of him but he wasn’t disoriented. No, he was taking cautioned steps and knew exactly where he was heading. He came to terms with his sexuality, with himself, in moderation (even if his sister did force him to come out before he managed to accept the changes). Sunggyu could only imagine how much Woohyun suffered. He stood in silence, watching silent tears fall from the younger male’s eyes.

Woohyun was strangely serene when he spoke next. He articulated his words more carefully, “I needed time to gather ev’rything… I needed to rebuild ev’rything that was torn down.”

Another moment of silence and Woohyun turned his attention to the brunet that completely changed everything in him. His gaze was intense, focused and it made goosebumps rise on Sunggyu’s skin.

“Gyu, Sunggyu, I know you have a boyfriend,” he spoke quickly and his words slurred together but Sunggyu could still understand him, “an’ I know you probably won’t return my feelings…but I… I lov—”

“No,” Sunggyu quickly cut him off as he stood from his seat, the chair screeching loudly against the hardwood floor, “Don’t say it.”

Woohyun looked up at him, surprise and hurt evident on his features. He was so shocked by the sudden reaction that he couldn’t say anything when Sunggyu turned and practically fled from the kitchen.

“No, Woohyun! Woohyun!” the brunet heard the clatter of Woohyun getting up from the table. The screech of the chair and the bump of the table and the tipped over bottles and cans sounded loudly throughout the house as he climbed up the stairs.

“No, Woohyun wait!” Hoya came out of hiding to keep the drunken man from chasing after Sunggyu.

“I need to tell him!”

Dongwoo, Yeunja and Myungsoo appeared soon after in an attempt to try and calm the man down. Sunggyu heard a lot of commotion before he barricaded himself in his room for the hundredth time.

 

 

The next morning everyone is stirring awake. Dongwoo and Hoya took out some yo that Mrs. Kim stored in the closet for the boys to stay the night. She didn’t feel comfortable with letting them go home, especially after drinking even if Hoya looked sober enough. Woohyun was the only one complaining about a headache and thirst.

“I can’t  _ believe _ you guys let me do that. Who thought it was a good idea to let me drink?!” Woohyun complained, taking the pills that were offered to him by Myungsoo.

Sunggyu stood very still in the hallway, leaning against the wall that separated them as he listened. The younger Nam brother went to look for him to ask for some pills for Woohyun.

“You were gonna deny a drink from Mr. Kim? Really?” Hoya asked.

Woohyun threw a glare at the older male before taking the pills dry, only noticing the glass of water being handed to him after he swallowed. He took a swig anyway, hoping to get rid of the bad taste in his mouth. He looked around when he noticed he was the only one complaining about a hangover.

“Why do I feel like shit and all of you look okay?” he asked.

“I didn’t drink that much,” Myungsoo supplied.

“Me neither,” Dongwoo agreed.

“Same,” Hoya and Yeunja said soon after.

“I think we all took it easy, you were the one that kept asking for more. Dongjun and Yeunja’s dad were drinking the really hard stuff, too,” Hoya explained.

“Do you even remember what you did last night?” Dongwoo asked.

Woohyun didn’t answer, his eyes trained on the floor as if he was thinking about it.

“Do you? You were all over Sunggyu trying to kiss him!” Hoya said, trying to get some kind of reaction. It wasn’t surprising at all that it worked.

“No I wasn’t!” it startled the occupants of the room to see him react in such a way, “I didn’t touch him! I may have been stupidly drunk, but I remember everything that happened…” he dropped his head into his hands, “I remember it.”

Everyone in the room remained silent. Sunggyu bit his lip as he listened to the stillness.

“What are you gonna do now? It’s not like Sunggyu can pretend it never happened. You were the drunk one, not him,” Hoya asked.

“Is there really anything I can do? He’s got…” he made a hand gesture, refusing to say the guy’s name out of sheer frustration, “ _ him _ . There’s no room for me.”

“Actually,” Myungsoo spoke without really thinking. His eyes met his older brother’s, “Gyu broke up with Junho.”

An inexplicable feeling took over Sunggyu as he heard the younger Nam brother break the news he kept quiet.

“What?” the uninformed asked in a surprisingly uniform way.

“When?” Yeunja asked.

“Christmas Eve?”

“What?!”

“How do you know?” Yeunja asked again.

“I kind of saw it happen.”

“Wait, what…?”

Dongwoo decided to explain how things played out between Junho and Sunggyu before more confusion arose. It didn’t take long before everyone was informed about what happened in the last two days. He didn’t explain the reasons but merely stated that there were some serious problems between them for quite a while and that Sunggyu finally reached his limit. The brunet was grateful for that. He was the only one that knew exactly what he went through and therefore the only one that needed to know.

“Why am I always the last one to find out?” Hoya complained when everything was said and done.

“It wasn’t on purpose,” Dongwoo quickly defended, “You know how Sunggyu is. He didn’t want anyone worrying over him.”

“I wish he’d realize we’re not here for decoration,” Hoya stated seriously, “Can we really call each other friends if he doesn’t tell us anything?”

Sunggyu sighed. The last time he didn’t tell Hoya something  _ that _ important it changed everyone’s lives. He didn’t think anything so severe would happen now but he did feel guilty. Hoya was right. He needed to change that. His heart nearly fell from his chest in fright when he heard a sudden commotion from the living room.

“Whoa, whoa! Where are you going?” Hoya asked.

“I  _ have _ to talk to him,” it was Woohyun.

“You’re gonna go talk to Gyu smelling like liquor?” Yeunja asked, communicating the ridiculousness of it, “I mean, I’m sitting across the room and I can smell you.”

“Confessing while smelling like a drunk... probably not very romantic, but definitely memorable!” Hoya encouraged. Yeunja covered Hoya’s face with a pillow and refused to let him talk.

“Wait, don’t kill him. He has to drive me to his house,” Woohyun said quickly as he stood.

Myungsoo and Hoya followed suit, noting the urgency in the older Nam brother.

Dongwoo and the Kim sisters were left sitting in the living room, wondering what Woohyun’s next move would be. Sunggyu took cover in the kitchen as the three boys made it to the foyer and gathered their things and left quickly. He hasn’t felt the anxious nervousness in his chest in such a long time but the smile that took residence on his lips almost overtook that.

 

 

Since Christmas was over and done with, Sunggyu decided it was time to let the family know that he ended his relationship with Junho. They were all very shocked, to say the least, and most of his sisters let it be known.

“I thought the reason that you didn’t come back home was because you were spending time with him?” Aecha asked.

“Well, sometimes...,” Sunggyu left off before mumbling, “most times he stood me up.”

“What?” Mrs. Kim asked.

“Most times, he was too busy,” he amended. He didn’t want to paint Junho as the bad guy, “I think this way he can chase his career and not worry about me.”

“Oh honey,” his mom said as she stood to give him a long hug.

He didn’t want to cry but being comforted by his mom made it very hard to keep the tears at bay but he tried his best. A few escaped but he quickly wiped them away.

“It’ll be okay, son. Your life is only starting. You’ll find someone else,” his dad offered his comfort that way as he patted his son’s shoulder.

“Thanks Dad.”

“Oh he’ll find someone else alright. Very soon~” Yeunja sing songed.

Sunggyu nearly glared at her until his other sister spoke up. Of course everyone else, aside from his parents, knew the situation with Woohyun since years ago.

“Speaking of, did they say when they were coming back?” Haneul asked.

Even though it was only 5pm, the sun was already setting and they didn’t hear a single word from the three guys that left in a hurry earlier in the day. It was a bit strange but everyone was expecting them back for dinner. When the time rolled around and there was still no sign of them, they got a bit worried. 

**_Woo_**  
_are you coming to dinner?_

It was a few minutes before Hoya answered.

**_Hoya_**  
_something came up. we’ll see you tomorrow_

 ** _Woo_**  
_are you okay?_

 ** _Hoya_**  
_yeah. don’t worry_

There was no answer after that and Dongwoo let Sunggyu know.

“I wonder if something happened?” Sunggyu asked, his worry not at all masked.

“I don’t know, but it’s kinda strange. Woohyun seemed really resolute with what he wanted to do. I thought he’d come running back as soon as possible,” Dongwoo commented, mostly to himself as he tapped his chin.

Sunggyu was admittedly a bit disappointed, but he figured it was probably better this way. He was going to try to wrap his head around everything that happened in the last couple of days. But out of all the scenarios that occupied his mind, not one prepared him for the surprise he got later that night. 

Everyone in the house was asleep when it happened. He was still worrying but was feeling his mind calming down a bit. Dongwoo fell asleep not too long ago so he was left with his thoughts. He didn’t know what happened with the other guys but they just didn’t answer any text sent by them, not even Myungsoo. It wasn’t long before he decided to try and forget it for the moment and try to get some sleep. It wasn’t until he was on the cusp of falling asleep that he heard a soft knock. His eyes shot open and he sat up instinctively. He didn’t move for a few moments until he heard it again and realized that it was coming from his balcony door. He got up, alarmed.

He thought back at the first time something like this happened and he couldn’t help the hopeful feeling that came over him. Maybe it was Woohyun again. He pushed the blinds aside and was shocked at the person he saw. It wasn’t Woohyun.

It was Junho.

“What are you doing here? How did you get up here?” Sunggyu whispered, without opening the door, rather shocked that someone else found their way to his balcony.

“Please, I just want to talk to you. Can I?”

Sunggyu glanced over his shoulder at the sleeping Dongwoo and sighed. He opened the door and allowed the male into the warm room, closing the door behind him to keep the frigid air from invading his room.

“Oh God, it’s so cold. I-Is that Dongwoo?” Junho whispered, mindful of the hour.

“Yeah. How did you get up here?”

“There was a ladder nearby so I just moved it.”

Sunggyu sighed,  _ thanks again, Dad _ . The balcony blinds were slightly open and the light of the artificial lights that came through illuminated his room a bit. He gasped when he saw Junho’s busted lip and dark bruise on his left cheek.

“Oh my God, what happened to you?” Sunggyu asked, his hand tilting the other’s chin to get a better look.

“Nevermind that,” the other male removed his hand and held it in his, “I just... I’m sorry for yesterday. I know you would never... I didn’t mean any of it. I’m sorry.”

The brunet looked at him and sighed, “I know you didn’t. But it still hurt.”

Junho cast his gaze downwards in shame before he spoke again, “I’m sorry. I guess I’ve really done nothing but hurt you recently.”

Sunggyu didn’t deny it, nor did he agree. After getting no response Junho sighed, “You really are serious, aren’t you?”

“It’ll be just like these last few months,” he slipped his hand away from the grip, “only this time I won’t be texting you any longer,” the brunet clarified, his face as serious as his words.

The younger male couldn’t help the tears that started to fall from his eyes, “I love you.”

“Junho--” Sunggyu whispered, the tears were starting to form on his eyes as well.

“And if it doesn’t work out with him, I’ll be waiting. I’ll wait for you.”

Sunggyu shook his head, “No. Don’t. Please don’t. You deserve to be happy. I won’t hold you back from that.”

“But you, you are my happ--”

The raised hand stopped him mid sentence, “What you’ve chosen  _ is _ your happiness. You’ve showed that to me. Now come on, I’ll walk you out.”

 

 

“Are you okay?” Dongwoo asked, staring at his best friend as he sat on the sofa in the living room.

His head was thrown back and his eyes were unfocused. He was staring up at the ceiling but he wasn’t seeing anything. He was sitting like that for a while, a bit lifeless. He answered with a hum. Just before Junho left the night before, he could see the bruise on his cheek slowly getting worse. He wondered if he physically fought with Jinki but the wound on his lip looked way too fresh and even if he asked, the other would only shake his head and refuse to answer. When they finally said their goodbyes Junho surprised him with a hug. Sunggyu returned it. Despite it all, he did end up falling for Junho and he experienced many wonderful things with him as well. He wished him luck and told him that he’d be keeping an eye out for news about him.

“Yeah... I just can’t believe...”

“That Junho showed up last night? I can’t believe I slept through it!” Dongwoo pouted but then smiled as he sat next to the male, shoulder to shoulder,”But I bet you were wishing it was Woohyun. Like that time he took you to the beach?”

He tried to subdue the smile that took over his lips but it was to no avail, “Be quiet, you.”

His best friend chuckled. They heard a knock at the door and the whole house grew alert. Sunggyu sat up, as did Dongwoo. Yeunja ran to the door as Haneul peeked in from the kitchen where she was helping her mom. They heard the girl greet the newcomers warmly before a sudden shift in her tone alarmed everyone.

“Oh my God! Woohyun what happened to you??”

Sunggyu and Dongwoo glanced at each other before getting up and heading to the foyer where the rest of his sisters gathered.

“Uh, something happened. Um, can I talk to Sunggyu?” Woohyun spoke and froze when he saw the male peek in from the living room.

Sunggyu was shocked. Woohyun also sported a busted lip. He didn’t even think when he spoke next.

“Did you and Junho...? Did you two fight?”

“What?” the room filled with the same question.

The three guys were stunned at Sunggyu’s deduction and after a few seconds Woohyun decided to speak, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Yeah...,” Sunggyu answered.

“Wait! What exactly happened to you?”

“I’ll tell you, just let them talk for a bit,” Hoya quickly said, leading everyone into the kitchen and leaving the two to talk in the living room.

Woohyun waited until he saw they were alone before turning to Sunggyu, “How did you know?”

“Junho came by last night. He had the same bruises as you. What happened?”

“He came...?” Woohyun thought for a second, “He didn’t say anything to you?”

“No, he didn’t want to tell me...”

 

 

“Is this really gonna happen? Can I really do this?” Woohyun asked as stood at the foyer of Hoya’s house. 

They arrived hours earlier and after taking a shower and finally getting rid of his terrible headache, they were about to head back to the Kim’s house. He kept growing anxious the longer he had more time to think about it. He didn’t know if Sunggyu was going to accept him. He didn’t know if he’d accept his feelings. He felt like he was rejected the night before but after countless reassurances from not only his brother, but Hoya as well, he felt like he stood a chance.

“Seriously, man? Let’s get you over there. I think this has been dragged out long enough,” Hoya said, as he pushed the other towards the door.

The older Nam brother couldn’t help but chuckle as he stepped outside, right behind Myungsoo.

“Why are you just standing here?” Woohyun asked, side stepping his brother and then stopping when he realized why the other didn’t move.

Junho was standing by the stairs, as if he was just making his way to the house to knock on the door. His gaze was anything but friendly as he caught sight of both brothers. Hoya saw him and decided to lessen the tension a bit.

“Hey! Sunggyu said you were in Seoul. What are you doing here?” 

“I was. But I had to come down,” he tilted his chin towards Myungsoo, “This guy saw me yesterday. He didn’t tell you?”

The younger brother was staring down at him, his gaze hard and his brows slightly gathered. He was wondering how he found out where they were staying.

“He may have mentioned it. What can I do for you?” Hoya asked as he stepped down from the porch, the other two following suit.

“No, I just wanted to talk to Woohyun. I need to clear up some things with him, that’s all.”

“Sunggyu told you they hadn’t spoken a word in years. You really don’t believe him?” Myungsoo asked, his brows knitting closer together.

“No  _ you _ told me that. I don’t believe  _ you _ . That’s a very different matter,” Junho said as he approached him.

“I haven’t talked to him,” Woohyun said, stepping in front of his brother, “This is the first time I’ve seen him since we left. Whatever was happening between you two was already your fault.”

“My fault? We were perfectly fine until he came back here! Are you still angry that he chose me over you?”

Woohyun’s fists clenched. That actually stung more than he wanted to admit but he let an easy smile fall on his lips, “Maybe what he felt for you was so weak that all he needed to do was see me again to realize it.”

That sparked a flame of jealousy and anger from Junho. Woohyun didn’t react fast enough to dodge the punch to the jaw. He didn’t think about anything else as his own fist flew right back, hitting the man on the cheek. They managed to trade a few more blows before Myungsoo and Hoya forcefully pulled them apart. Junho was struggling fiercely against Hoya’s grip and they both fell onto the snow covered lawn. Woohyun merely stepped back, wiping at his mouth as he felt warm blood trickle down.

Even so he spoke, “Sunggyu is not that type of person and I would never dream to slander his name like that. Maybe you should realize that the person at fault here is not me or Sunggyu, but  _ you. _ ”

“Myungsoo take him inside,” Hoya quickly ordered as he stood.

Junho, who was about to stand, remained still as he took in those words.

“You should go back home,” Hoya said to the male as he turned around and headed back inside as well.

 

 

“How did he find out where you were?”

Woohyun shrugged until Sunggyu realized it and sighed,  _ damn it, Jinki _ . He mentioned it to him right after that encounter he experienced with Junho. He didn’t think he would actually tell the other, especially after witnessing his reaction.

“I’m so sorry, Woohyun. I didn’t mean for you to get involved,” the brunet apologized, hesitating in touching the other’s bruises.

He chuckled, surprising the older male, “I don’t know. Maybe in some ways I deserved it.”

“Maybe, but even so, I’d never want to see you hurt,” Sunggyu said softly.

Woohyun smiled but flinched a bit at the pain, “Then that means you do still care.”

Sunggyu’s face flushed slightly but he didn’t answer. He watched Woohyun’s face slowly lose it’s nice smile.

“I’m so sorr--”

“I think I’ve heard that enough in the last few days to last me a while. What are you going to do to make up for it?” he asked, hoping to look as confident as those words.

It was Woohyun’s turn to flush. He swallowed nervously, “I was hoping maybe I could take you, uh, out to dinner?”

There was a sudden squeal that came from the kitchen and it made both of them turn towards the sound before turning to look at each other and smiling embarrassingly. Sunggyu would bet it was Yeunja.

“Sure,” Sunggyu said casually.

“Then, tomorrow?”

“Okay.”

“These guys are ridiculous! What was with that lukewarm response?? And he asked him out to dinner?? Why didn’t he ask him to be his boyfriend instead? How much longer are these guys gonna drag this out?” Yeunja nearly screamed. She was utterly confused as to why things were still moving at a snail’s pace.

“My brother has to take it slow. It took a lot of convincing on my part to tell him to not rush it. Sunggyu did just get out of a long term relationship,” Myungsoo explained as they sat around the table.

“Myungsoo,” Haneul dragged out his name.

The younger Nam brother was surprised to get all the exasperated looks his way, “Was that not right?”

“Despite what you say, I’ll give him until New Year’s Eve,” Haneul decided to add, “If they’ve really liked each other for so long, I know one of them is bound to break.”

“My money's on Woohyun.”

“Same.”

“Sunggyu!”

 

 

Sunggyu was incredibly nervous and excited and he still couldn’t believe it was actually happening. He thought he might start hyperventilating any minute. It took Dongwoo to calm him down enough to sit still so Haneul could fix him up a bit.

“I don’t think this is necessary?”

“Oh, it’s necessary. We need to present you at your best. Woohyun won’t know what hit him,” Haneul stated as she added a touch of brown eye shadow to the outer corner of his eyes.

Yeunja laughed, “No but he’ll have the bruise to prove it.”

“That’s wrong!” Sunggyu scolded.

The rest of them laughed at his reaction, “I’m glad it was only swollen. He’s got big lips to begin with but it looks like it’s almost back to normal.”

“Junho probably got the worst end of it. He had a busted lip and a bruised cheek,” Sunggyu sighed, “and a wounded ego to go along with that.”

“He should have known the consequences before starting that fist fight. It’s just lucky there were people there to stop it,” Dongwoo said.

They heard someone running up the stairs and into Sunggyu’s room, “They’re here!!”

Sure enough the doorbell rang and Sunggyu felt his heartbeat speed up again.

“Haneul! Hurry!” Yeunja urged as she stood and headed towards the door. She was probably just as anxious as Sunggyu and probably as happy as he was.

“Right, right,” she answered as she stepped back to examine her work. She took a comb and fixed up the strands of hair that were disturbed by her make up application before she quickly pulled him up from the chair and hurried him out of his room, “You’re gonna need to send Woohyun up here so I can cover up that bruise too!”

He was wearing some nice black skinnies with a white top and a denim bomber jacket over it. After input from all of his sisters and Dongwoo, they all agreed on the outfit. Sunggyu sighed for the last time before brushing past his sisters and heading down the stairs. The girls gathered at the top of the staircase as they watched Sunggyu approach the male standing at the foyer with his brother. Myungsoo placed a reassuring hand on the his older brother’s shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze and wishing him good luck in that manner before offering Sunggyu a smile.

Woohyun was dressed handsomely. A burgundy slim fit cashmere sweater donned his torso, accompanied by black jeans and a long nude colored single breasted coat brought the outfit together. The bruise that covered part of his cheek taking little away from his handsome face. Sunggyu quickly took the male by the arm and dragged him upstairs.

“Haneul says she wants a minute with you,” he explained before pushing him upstairs for his sisters to escort into his room.

 

 

They enjoyed their dinner but found it quite hard to talk openly due to the nature of the restaurant. It wasn ’t very private even though the restaurant itself wasn’t bustling with people.They did manage to catch up, talking about what they were up to and how they were doing, if their hobbies or obsessions changed. Woohyun was definitely still very much into his bike and he picked up quite a bit at a shop where he befriended the owner’s son. They were about the same age and Woohyun started thinking about going into that line of work and maybe one day opening his own shop. It was a long shot, as he said, but he thought it was definitely something he’d enjoy doing. He’d just have to convince his parents.

When they were done and the bill was paid they were making their way back to the car. Dinner felt way too short and Sunggyu didn’t want to go home yet. Luckily he knew a nice cafe near by that they could use to shelter themselves from the cold. Since it was a holiday week most of the shops were empty so he figured they wouldn’t have to share the place with many people. Woohyun was confused when he realized he was being led in a different direction than when he came but Sunggyu only laughed it off.

They arrived at a cozy cafe shop on the second floor of a building that overlooked the Hanok Village. The furnishings were very relaxed, the individual set ups almost resembled small living rooms brought together into one place. He was right about the place being empty. A couple were sitting at one of the large windows overlooking the traditional village so Sunggyu led him to another one as soon as they finished asking for drinks. They sat across from each other.

Sunggyu gazed at the male across from him. Woohyun was busy looking over the snow covered roofs of the traditional houses that filled their vision down below.

“Make-up really does cover everything,” he said suddenly.

Woohyun turned his attention to the older male and sighed, reaching for his bruised cheek, “You’re feeling Park Gyuri’s pain right now.”

“I wasn’t the one who gave her that bruise,” the male defended.

“No, but if you hadn’t taught Yeunja, she wouldn’t have had to receive it in the first place.”

“I guess I did have this coming to me. Never thought it would take these many years.”

A silence fell on them as the lady at the counter delivered their drinks. They thanked her and watched her go before Sunggyu spoke again.

“So, what made you come back here?”

“You know the answer to that.”

“Do I?”

The older Nam brother sighed, “No matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t forget.”

The brunet tilted his head, slightly confused.

“I couldn’t forget you, or your sisters, or your family. I don’t think I ever felt more at home then when I was here, spending time with all of you. Myungsoo too. We just never grew so attached like we did with you guys. I’m not sure how to describe it, but before I realized what was going on with me, I was only looking at you. I wanted to have your attention, I wanted to be the person you relied on. I wanted to be the reason why you smiled. I never wanted to be more important to anyone."

“And when Junho came along, I could feel him becoming what I wanted to be. You were always with him, smiling at him. He had your attention and I thought I had to try harder as your friend. The night when we went to the beach I thought that maybe I was being really childish, really insecure. But I didn’t want to lose to him as a friend. I didn’t know he wasn’t after your friendship."

“That night when I saw you two...”

“Wasn’t it Myungsoo?” Sunggyu asked.

The dark haired male shook his head, “It was me. I saw it,” he chuckled, a bit embarrassed, “I was really surprised. Probably a lot more when I realized how angry I felt when I saw it.”

“Why were you angry?”

Woohyun averted his eyes to the window, “Because it wasn’t me... But the reason why I decided to come back was to apologize for acting the way that I did. That was my intention. I never thought all of this would happen.”

Sunggyu hummed, taking a sip of his hot chocolate before speaking, “I don’t think any one of us did... But I’m glad you came.”

“I’m really glad I did too.”

 

 

It was past midnight and Sunggyu was waiting anxiously. Woohyun texted him that he’d be right there. Dongwoo was staying downstairs with his sisters at the insistence of Yeunja. His best friend didn’t really need much convincing. He figured Sunggyu wanted to be alone so he could text Woohyun to his heart’s content. He’d happily give him his space. He finally received a text, a glowing  _ I’m here _ shone up at him from the screen. He quickly but quietly got up from his bed and slid his balcony door open, making sure to slip on his house shoes to step out into the cold. He saw the male standing below his balcony.

“It’s by the shed. Go get it,” the brunet semi-whispered to the other. The male heard him loud and clear and went to get the ladder, “Oh my God I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he murmured to himself. He couldn’t even feel the cold that tinted his cheeks and nose a rosy pink. It wasn’t long before the male was climbing over his balcony and Sunggyu was pulling him into his room by the hand. He only let go to quietly slide the door shut behind the male.

He turned around to face the other and was pleasantly surprised to have his personal space invaded by the handsome male. Woohyun took hold of his left hand and sought to fit his fingers between his. His left hand took hold of Sunggyu’s waist and the deep airy voice that escaped him made goosebumps erupt all over the brunet’s skin.

“I missed you.”

Sunggyu smiled, “I missed you, too.”

Woohyun pulled him closer, pressing their bodies together. Sunggyu felt heat spreading throughout his whole body. The dark haired male was being quite bold, it was making him feel shy.

“I can’t help but start having these thoughts about how much I want to hold you like this,” the brunet felt him squeeze his waist, “how bad I want to kiss you.”

The older male led the hand that was entwined with his around the other side of his waist, “You’re already holding me.”

Sunggyu searched the other’s eyes and nearly melted in his hold when he felt the plump lips finally meet his. He didn’t think it was possible to be filled with such an emotion. It felt like his whole being was finally completed, like Woohyun held a part of him that he didn’t know was missing. He closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around the other’s neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss, at least that was the plan until Woohyun flinched away and a hand went to soothe his still bruised lip.

“I’m sorry!” the brunet said worriedly.

The younger male only smiled and took his chin in between his thumb and forefinger and proceeded to place another kiss on his lips, then another and another. Sunggyu giggled but played along anyway before Woohyun finally stopped.

“Then, does this mean you’ll be my boyfriend?”

“Up until a week ago, I never thought I’d ever hear those words from you,” the brunet placed another kiss on his lips, “Of course I will.”

 

 

“Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!” the whole house shook with the shouts of the people inside.

They hardly had any time to celebrate the coming of the new year when Jinho suddenly yelled, “Ah! They kissed!”

“What?” Haneul asked, surprised.

Sunggyu and Woohyun looked at the questioning faces of everyone before the younger smiled, “Oh, you mean this?” he placed another one on the warm lips.

Sunggyu twined their fingers together and showed their hands to them, “Happy New Year!”

The second cheer that erupted in the house was well overdue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So when did you actually start liking me?”

“Hmm... Maybe... Around the time I saw your sister putting make up on you?”

“Ah, makes sense. That’s when you started calling me pretty.”

“Haha. What about you?”

“Me? Um... Maybe that time you were changing the oil on your bike?”

“...Really? From that time? How the hell didn’t I notice?”

“I had to kiss another guy in order for you to realize you even liked me, remember?”

“... … Now I think you’re gonna have to kiss me right now to make sure you still like me.”

“Nam Woohyun, you’re an idiot.”

“You can call me what you like, but that kiss isn’t gonna be enough.”

“That’s all you’re getting. Now move, I want to go see my baby niece.”

“You think Aecha will let us adopt her?”

“How about you settle with borrowing her every once in a while.”

“Fine fine.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's it! this time it's really over. a happy ending for the two poor fools who had to wait for it. i wanted to make a post detailing my thoughts on the fic and maybe giving more details on what happened or what could have happened and/or what other routes i could have taken with this fic but idk, i think it's enough to end it here unless some of you want to know. hahaha thank you so much for reading this long ass fic. i appreciate it so much! thanks to everyone that helped me in motivation/ideas/pestering me to write. it all helped a lot. thank you all so much and look forward to whatever else i have in store for you!

**Author's Note:**

> so years later and this is the decisive last version of this fic. lol it was my baby and i felt i needed to perfect it before abandoning the world i created out of it. i'm ready to more on now. to those of you deciding to reread or those of you reading for the first time, thank you so much! i hope you enjoy the fic!


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